Koppal, Deccan Grasslands, July 2018

The Deccan Grasslands

After a break of 6+ months, I made my first field trip to the grasslands of Koppal on the north bank of the Tungabhadra River. This long overdue trip was made possible by our host Indrajit Ghorpade (who runs the Deccan Conservation Foundation with a lot of passion) and wildlife biologists Vidya Athreya and Iravatee Majgaonkar. Researchers Arjun Srivathsa and Ovee Thorat also joined the trip. Thanks guys!

The stunning rocky outcrops along with the monsoon clouds provide a dramatic backdrop to the Koppal landscape. ​

The landscape is extensively human-use thanks to agriculture and livestock-grazing but there seems to be a significant potential for conservation. Wolves, Hyenas, Jackal, Fox and blackbuck still survive (though in not so great numbers) in the district and birdlife is rich.

Wildlife and landscape images below.

Thanks for looking!