24 December 2008

Mother and child, Ranthambhore National Park

Langur and baby
Well, it's Christmas Eve, and all going well I should be out of the hills — with lots of sightings of whio, I trust. Right now it's the 21st, the evening before we head to mid Pohangina hut to start the survey, and I'm scheduling this post for the evening of the 24th in case I'm too stuffed to fire up the rorohiko and work up a photo. This one seems as appropriate as any because it depicts at least two things I'm wishing for the season — that we love and take care of each other, and that wild things, wild places, and wildness itself, will survive. Merry Christmas, everyone.

Update, 24 December: The helicopter flew me out this afternoon, in weather that had me wondering whether I'd still be up in the Pohangina headwaters on Christmas Day. I ended up doing the survey alone as JJ was crook. A couple of beautiful days, then the rain began last night; I got about three quarters of an hour up the river on the last section of the survey before discretion supplanted enthusiasm. If I'd left it much later to turn around, I might not have got back to the hut, as the river was rising rapidly. But all's well, and I had a great time up there. Yes, wildness still survives.

All content © 2008 Pete McGregor

9 comments:

Emma said...

Beautiful, Pete. Merry Christmas!

Zhoen said...

Thank you for taking me to the wild places. Merry Christmas.

pohanginapete said...

Emma, Zhoen — thanks, not just for your comments on this post, but for all your regular commenting. And Merry Christmas :^)

Relatively Retiring said...

Such a touching portrait.
Good to know that you and the wilderness are still there.
Very happy Christmas.

Ruahines said...

Kia ora Pete,
Merry Christmas! Glad you got to spend some time in the Ruahine in any case. It was a pretty wet steady day out here as well.
Cheers,
Robb

Anne-Marie said...

I could stare at this photo for hours. I love the colours, the setting, the background - and the animals themselves are so compelling. If anyone ever doubted humans were related to other primates ...

pohanginapete said...

RR, Robb, Anne-Marie — thanks! A very happy Christmas to you all :^)

michael.offworld said...

Glad you made it back Pete! All the best to you for the New Year.

Wonderful photo full of feeling. It seems clear to me that animals feel love.

pohanginapete said...

Thanks Michael, and all the best to you too. And any suggestion that animals like this lack strong emotions (like love) seems absurd to me.