The Small Stuff (Yala 05/06/2010)
The Sri Lankan Big Four. Leopard, bear, elephant, buffalo. Those are generally the animals that are synonymous with Yala. Yet on this trip to Yala I took a few minutes off when we stopped for a rest at the Menik Ganga to take a small break and look out for the small stuff. And the search was surprisingly rewarding, not only in terms of obtaining some pictures of animals you usually don�t associate with Yala but also for getting a couple of more �arty� shots. The Menik Ganga (River) (Photo Courtesy of PP) The first item of interest on the menu was a roiling black mass on the white sands bordering the river. Taking a closer look I was astonished to see hundreds of small beetles engaging in what could be described as an all out orgy. I�m guessing it was a mass breeding of these beetles which happened every now and then and the copulating carabids made for some very interesting macro efforts. Beetle orgy Wandering over to where the trees overhung some still water, it was apparent tha...