As we went deeper into the jungle, the oxygen levels seemed higher. The air was fresh and crisp. It was invigorating and somehow there was a tinge of sweetness.
After hiking for an hour, we reached a steep slope where it was supposedly the route elephants take to find food. The path was muddy after a night’s rain. We were advised not to make any noise as the ‘Big Man’ was very sensitive to foreign noises made by non-residents of the jungle.
On the way, we saw many kinds of toad stools, wild ferns and insects. All these were part and parcel of the beautiful nature of the jungle. As we ambled along, we noticed that the sides of the slopes were cleanly shaved off. Then, we spotted a big print on the muddy ground. It was roughly one metre in diameter. Fresh dung were spotted too. We were told that an elephant had just slid down the slope to look for food. They do not walk down a hill but they slide down on their sides.
We quickly but quietly moved to the other side to avoid the route of the ‘Big Man’.
At the same time, I thought I heard the trumpet of the elephant. Did I? We didn’t wait to find out and hurriedly hiked down the hill. It was certainly a scary but interesting encounter for us.
** The picture taken above is a real life foot print of a mature elephant found in the jungle.
© autumnB