Righto boys, cleanup time!

Ravi, the Sambar Deer, settles in for a grooming session

Ravi: Argh, these ticks are a menace! Buzz & Woody, my dear Myna Birds, please help me!

Buzz: With pleasure! My, these are big juicy ones. Should have called us earlier, old friend.
Ravi: I know. But I’ve been a bit… busy. When you have multiple girlfriends, time flies.
Woody: Hmmm, us monogamous Mynas wouldn’t know anything about the ‘multiple girlfriends’ life. I honestly don’t know how you do it. One mate is more than I can handle.
Ravi: Hehe, nothing wrong with it if it works for you.
Buzz: This mud bath must help with the ticks eh, Ravi?
Ravi: It does, briefly, but then they somehow come back. Maybe I should head up to the hills?
Buzz: You mean to Horton Plains? Hmmm, it is much cooler there but you do know that there are Leopards up there, right? You know that it’s not any safer there than here.
Ravi: Of course, I know that. But I’ve got my trusty antlers to protect me, and even the biggest Leopard here in Wilpattu hasn’t tried anything with me… yet.
Woody: Well, maybe you should go for a bit. There’s plenty of grass there. I know you love munching on grass.
Ravi: Oh brother, you have no idea. I keep telling you to try it and you never do.
Buzz: Why would we, when you’re a walking smorgasbord of juicy ticks? We’d never go hungry with you around. In fact, I think Woody and I will tag along with you to the hills. We might starve without you!

Story of the Photo

Whilst staying at the Mahoora Tented Safari Camp in Wilpattu, Dilum was out on an afternoon safari when he snapped this photo of a Sambar Deer enjoying a grooming session in one of the mud pits in the Park.