The loud rustling off to one side of the trail was undoubtedly emanating from a large animal. We could see some low branches in amongst the dense vegetation swaying with the pressure of a slow-moving body. <\/p>\n
We stopped,\u00a0my husband Alan\u00a0shouldering our camera tripod and\u00a0me my\u00a0bird spotting scope\u00a0as we\u00a0peered\u00a0at the greenery, trying to work out what was out there and whether it was coming our way.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, a sapling tree shot up in the air and there was a\u00a0distant bellow.\u00a0Simultaneously, our jungle guide sprang into action, beckoning urgently and shouting \u201cRun!\u00a0Quickly!\u00a0Run!\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We had been doing some early morning birdwatching in the Western Ghats of the province of Kerala in southern India. With us we had a naturalist, Abhilash, and a local forest guide, Vinod,\u00a0for our trip into\u00a0the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary<\/a>. Until\u00a0our pause it had been a steady stroll in\u00a0a peaceful natural woodland filled with exotic birdsong. The rising sun was warming the air and bringing out the flutter and buzz of insects\u00a0as well as birds. It had been an idyllic start to the day.<\/p>\n Now,\u00a0all of a sudden,\u00a0we were seemingly running for our lives from we knew not what. Vinod\u00a0led us off the track\u00a0at speed\u00a0and down a gully through tall trees. We zigzagged\u00a0around\u00a0tree roots and stumps, avoided\u00a0clumps of scrubby bushes and snagging vine stems\u00a0in a headlong pelt. All the while my mind raced with\u00a0the\u00a0possibilities of\u00a0what was in pursuit and whether we could outrun it or avoid tripping and falling into its path.<\/p>\n We had just reached the bottom of the gully when the latter happened. I caught my toe on a root and,\u00a0unbalanced by my rucksack and telescope,\u00a0I went flying.\u00a0Immediately, Abhilash\u00a0and\u00a0Vinod\u00a0hauled me up with a hand under each arm, then took my equipment from me and pushed me on up the other side of the valley.<\/p>\n \u00a0As I stumbled on, followed by Alan, Vinod began waving his arms violently up and down while screaming at the top of his voice over our shoulders. I turned and finally saw what was making him so afraid. <\/p>\n