My Home in the Wilderness
The thumbnail picture was taken from my security camera at Karuna in India, my home for 20 years. We're nestled in pristine, untouched forest and jungle with an abundance of fresh water springs and waterfalls—one of the top 10 most biodiverse places in the world for both animals and plants.
These Magnificent Giants
This wild bison is as massive as an elephant. When they don't feel threatened, they're magnificent creatures, but you feel the ground shake when they approach! Many of my neighbors have suffered serious injuries from these encounters—bison don't mess around, especially when they're with their young. Fortunately, they all know they're safe in my front garden, and I never have to worry about mowing the lawn!
A Close Encounter
I've come face-to-face with them accidentally several times, including a few months ago during my last visit. I was coming down the hill at a fairly quick pace, carrying a heavy bag of fresh vegetables from town. It's unusual for bison to be on the paths during the day, but as I skipped down the hill, I suddenly found myself just three feet away from one of these massive creatures.
The Heart-Stopping Moment
It was a heart-stopping moment. I immediately backed off with cat-like reflexes, staying calm while quickly walking back up the hill, searching for a way off the path to get out of its way, hoping it would simply continue on.
The only problem? The only escape route was to my right—an almost sheer drop with just a tiny ledge and a few roots and weeds to hold onto. I made myself as small as possible, ducked down, and waited, panic rising.
Trapped with No Way Out
After what felt like an eternity, I heard its deep, slow, heavy footsteps marching up the hill toward me. I prayed it would walk past and continue up the hill, since they're usually afraid of people and will avoid us when given the option.
But there was a problem: I had 25 kilograms of fresh vegetables bulging out of my bag, no doubt very appealing to the bison.
The Moment of Truth
So what happened?
As soon as the bison reached the spot where I had turned off, it swung its massive head without hesitation, looked me directly in the eyes, and began gesturing that it was going to come toward me. I had no way out—if it had charged, I probably would have tumbled to the bottom of the mountain.
I begged it to leave me alone. I didn't shout, but I genuinely pleaded with it to please just go away.
The Power of Respect
And thank God, this incredibly powerful bison complied! It turned its head back forward and marched on up the hill. I'm sure it would have absolutely devoured that sack of carrots and lettuce—it could have easily taken me out. But I think those years of letting them share our space really paid off. They know they're safe at Karuna Dham. We never chased them away, and they remember!
