After dusk "Family pic"
Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) - I and a couple of other guys I know were cruising in a car in the jungle routes of Mudumalai, Tamil Nadu after a census in the day, hoping to spot wild animals, when we spotted this family of Elephants standing still right beside the road. Elephants have poor eyesight; pretty much comparable to ours at night time, which makes them vulnerable. This is the reason why Elephants avoid moving around after dark and prefer to stand still and be attentive to the surrounding noises and scents.
The Indian Elephant is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, "Elephas maximus" has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years. The species is pre-eminently threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.
