Ghanima Atreides (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
atreideslioness) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2025-06-02 10:51 am
atreideslioness) wrote in fandomhigh2025-06-02 10:51 am
National Park Adventure Team! [Monday, Period 4]
"I hope you're all ready for a game of 'I Spy,'" Ghanima laughed, handing out binnoculars as the students arrived. "Today we are heading to Hemis National Park, before the unofficial tourist-season opening, to look for their famed snow leopards!"
"Hemis is a high-elevation national park in Hemis in Leh district of Ladakh, India. The park has the highest density of snow leopards in any protected area in the world. However, Hemis functions very differently from other national parks and reserves in the country. You won’t find different wildlife zones or lodges here. And while the snow leopards are the park's main focus, with 200 breeding pairs, 16 mammal species and 73 bird species have been recorded in the park so far. You may see Argali, Bharal, Shapu, the Asiatic ibex, the Tibetan wolf, the Eurasian brown bear -- endangered in India -- Himalayan marmot, mountain weasel and the Himalayan mouse hare."
"Unlike many national parks, over 1,600 people live inside the park boundaries, mostly pastoralists raising poultry, goats, and sheep. This results in considerable animal-human conflict within the region. Snow leopards prey on livestock." Ghanima shrugged. "Often because the families are overgrazing their livestock outside the permitted bounds. It is a delicate balance between supporting the habitation of families that have been there for generations, and not overly interfearing with the snow leopards."
"The park also houses numerous Tibetan gompas and holy chortens within its boundaries. These include the famous 400-year-old Hemis Monastery. Hemis was a destination and via point on the silk routes of Tibet, and has long been a place of pilgrimage for Tibetan Buddhists. However, in the late 19th and early 20th century, the monastery attracted some attention due to the writings of Nicolas Notovitch, a Russian aristocrat and journalist, who claimed that Jesus had spent the missing years of his life in Tibet and Ladakh, specifically in Hemis."
The portal opened right as Ghanima finished speaking. "Right on time!" she laughed, taking Trebor's hand as he played with the binoculars hanging around his neck. "Let's go find some big cats!"
"Hemis is a high-elevation national park in Hemis in Leh district of Ladakh, India. The park has the highest density of snow leopards in any protected area in the world. However, Hemis functions very differently from other national parks and reserves in the country. You won’t find different wildlife zones or lodges here. And while the snow leopards are the park's main focus, with 200 breeding pairs, 16 mammal species and 73 bird species have been recorded in the park so far. You may see Argali, Bharal, Shapu, the Asiatic ibex, the Tibetan wolf, the Eurasian brown bear -- endangered in India -- Himalayan marmot, mountain weasel and the Himalayan mouse hare."
"Unlike many national parks, over 1,600 people live inside the park boundaries, mostly pastoralists raising poultry, goats, and sheep. This results in considerable animal-human conflict within the region. Snow leopards prey on livestock." Ghanima shrugged. "Often because the families are overgrazing their livestock outside the permitted bounds. It is a delicate balance between supporting the habitation of families that have been there for generations, and not overly interfearing with the snow leopards."
"The park also houses numerous Tibetan gompas and holy chortens within its boundaries. These include the famous 400-year-old Hemis Monastery. Hemis was a destination and via point on the silk routes of Tibet, and has long been a place of pilgrimage for Tibetan Buddhists. However, in the late 19th and early 20th century, the monastery attracted some attention due to the writings of Nicolas Notovitch, a Russian aristocrat and journalist, who claimed that Jesus had spent the missing years of his life in Tibet and Ladakh, specifically in Hemis."
The portal opened right as Ghanima finished speaking. "Right on time!" she laughed, taking Trebor's hand as he played with the binoculars hanging around his neck. "Let's go find some big cats!"
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During the Lecture
Arrival!
Is this high enough for you, Arden? Ghanima hopes so.
"Everyone, meet Payal Mehta, our guide," Ghanima said smoothly, gesturing to the woman waiting for them. "While we're here in the summer, when the snow leopards tend to be a bit more scarce, but if anyone can find one for us, it's Mehta, and her team of spotters are already out, searching for recent snow leopard activity so we have the best chance to find them."
"However, a snow leopard sighting is not guaranteed for this time of year. If you would like to go on the birding and wildflower hike instead, you are more than welcome to choose that option."
"Regardless of which you choose, speak softly. Leave no trash. And listen to your guides."
Searching for Snow Leopards!
[OOC: Feel free to mod your experience, but due to the time of year, you will most likely only see one or two snow leopards, as they tend to be solitary creatures.]
Re: Searching for Snow Leopards!
Just because she was not raising her son purely Fremen, did not mean she was going to allow him to be a pampered aristocrat.
Re: Searching for Snow Leopards!
She turned and opened her eyes, letting them find the snow leopard in the place her body already knew it was. "Ohhhh," she breathed, quietly pointing it out to anyone close by. "Look!"
Re: Searching for Snow Leopards!
Yes, she had noticed the lack of shoes, but no, she wasn't going to say anything about it.
"Excellent work, Nell. Well done."
Re: Searching for Snow Leopards!
She smiled at Trebor and made sure to shift so he'd be able to get a good look at where she was pointing.
Re: Searching for Snow Leopards!
Birding and wildflower tour!
This time of year, Hemis is a riot of wildflowers and the birds are plentiful! It's early enough in the season that there are not a lot of other tourists yet, so it feels like a very personal experience.
Re: Birding and wildflower tour!
Re: Birding and wildflower tour!
She took a bunch of pictures, including a selfie with several birds that had landed on her head and shoulders. Birds and heights, what a great day!
Talk to Ghanima & Trebor
OOC