Summer heralds the elephant congregation in Kabini backwaters, the much awaited annual phenomena that draws a lot of wildlife enthusiasts and tourists to the Kabini National Park.
Scores of elephants gather at the Kabini backwaters during summer every year when the water level shrinks, enabling photographers, wildlife lovers and tourists to catch sight of Asia’s largest elephant congregation in Kabini backwaters.
Elephants from Nagarahole, Wayanad, Bandipur and Mudumalai congregate on the river banks of Kabini, to bathe and graze in order to beat the summer heat. A boat ride in the Kabini river will serve as an exciting escapade in spotting the elephants. The elephant congregation in Kabini backwaters will begin in mid-March when the water level goes down and the elephant herds can be spotted till the onset of the monsoon.
Recently, activists, however have stated that there is a decline in the number of elephants congregating in the Kabini backwaters owing to the Forest Department’s intervention in creating artificial water sources within the forests, which has impacted on the elephant congregation in Kabini National Park. The migration of elephants from other forests has been affected. However, wildlife enthusiasts still continue to have the elephant congregation in Kabini on their bucket list.