Lush, green and filled with forests, Mawsynram, in the northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya, is a paradise. Nestled away far from the well-trodden path, it's a place that intrepid travellers and nature enthusiasts long to go to.
But if you're headed there, watch out: it may be beautiful, but its unique climate also means it's widely considered the wettest place on Earth.
Monsoon season in Mawsynram is long. Lasting from June to September, it is a time of frequent showers and heavy rainfall that can last for days. Its annual rainfall is approximately 11,871 millimetres, which is thought to be due to summer air currents that sweep over the floodplains of Bangladesh, gathering moisture as they move north.
As a result of its high rainfall, the plentiful forests in Meghalaya are hugely biodiverse.
Wildlife of Meghalaya
Great hornbill
The forests in Meghalaya have a huge number of bird species and this impressive creature is widely considered the largest bird in the region. It can grow to between 95 and 130cm long, with a 152cm wingspan and it eats mostly fruit.
This makes the great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) a vital part of the forest ecosystem, as it flies large distances and disperses seeds as it goes.
King cobra
The world's longest venomous snake (Ophiophagus hannah) lives in the forests of Meghalaya, growing in excess of 5 metres. And what's more, it can 'stand up' to look a person in the eye – lifting up to a third of its body weight off the ground.
One of the other remarkable things about this reptile is that it is the only snake known to build a nest for its eggs. But despite these formidable characteristics, the king cobra is a shy snake and will do what it can to avoid a confrontation.
Wroughton's free-tailed bat
This bat is one of India's most elusive. Originally thought to be found only in the Western Ghats, there were reports that it had been discovered in 2001 in Siju cave in Meghalaya. Still, very little is known about the remarkable Otomops wroughton, which continues to be very good at keeping quiet and hiding from people.
Asian palm civet
The Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) leads a solitary, nocturnal lifestyle and mainly feeds on fruits and is another helpful seed disperser. It is also involved in the production of Kopi luwak, or civet coffee, which is a type of coffee made from partially digested coffee cherries, eaten by the Asian palm civet and then fermented through their intestines and defecated out.
Binturong
Could this be one of the more peculiar animals on this list? It looks as though it could be a bear, or maybe even a cat, but it is neither. Belonging to the same family as civets and genets, binturongs (Arctictis binturong) have a distinct smell – a little like butter, or popcorn. Their prehensile tail, which acts as a fifth limb, is one of the most remarkable things about the bintuong.
Asiatic black bear
Also known as the moon bear, or white-chested bear, the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) lives in forests in many places across the world. Known for the patch of white or yellow on their chest, they have a strong sense of smell and strong claws which make them good at climbing trees.
Hoolock gibbon
India's only ape species is very at home in the forests of Meghalaya and western hoolock gibbons (Hoolock hoolock) are found in every district. An ape with no tail, it is known for its call, which is usually heard as a duet between male and female.
It is the second largest of the gibbons and usually weighs between 6 and 8 kg. Much like the hornbill, the hoolock gibbon is an important seed disperser.
Clouded leopard
This wild cat looks like a small leopard, but it has larger spots that are more like clouds. It is seldom seen in the wild but is known to be a good climber. The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is at risk from habitat loss and has been hunted for its fur.
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Green magpie
A noisy, beautiful bird that, despite its remarkable colours, is quite difficult to spot. Roughly the size of a Eurasian jay, the common green magpie (Cissa chinensis) looks for food on the ground and in the tree canopy, and is predominantly carnivorous.
White-throated kingfisher
An absolute beauty of a tree kingfisher which has bright blue feathers on its back and a striking patch of white on its breast.
But don't be fooled by its name – while it is an adept fisher, the white-throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) will happily feed on reptiles, amphibians, crabs, small rodents and even birds. It can therefore be found significant distances from water. These birds begin their breeding at the beginning of the monsoon season, which, as we know, is long in Meghalaya.
