Monsoon in all its Glory
<p>Come June, moisture laden air descends on India’s forests. Acute sensitivity to temperature, humidity, and pressure offer plants and animals such as frogs, ants and birds advance notice of the monsoon’s arrival. It is as if the entire forest has been waiting in anticipation. Rain first falls as gentle drops, then in torrential sheets, in a rhythmic cycle of life. As wetness seeps into the ground, the soil releases an earthy petrichor. Rivers widen and gush, adding a steady background hum to the melodies of cicadas and calls of amphibians. Leafy greens turn darker, as do tree trunk browns. Lifeforms of all descriptions are energised into boasting their vitality, choosing mates, and then bringing their offspring into a living forest ready to support them.<br />
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<p><span style="font-size:18px;"><strong>Mating Pair Of Dancing Frogs</strong></span></p>
<p><em>A dappled afternoon makes for a dreamy frame for this mating pair of dancing frogs </em>Micrixalus sp.<em> in Coorg, Karnataka. Male dancing frogs do not depend on sound to attract females, as the fast streams where they live drown their calls. Instead, they flag a leg high and wave in the frog version of a dance. </em></p>
<p><strong>Photo: Aniket Thopate</strong></p>
