Please help toidentify exact species.
These leeches were different than what I've seen in Central and Southern India. I was at some remote part of Rumtek at much higher elevation, it was chilling cold still the leeches were active. They keep the hold with anterior suckers, make a fine cut with mouth and suck blood. As they inject anesthetic, the bite mostly goes unnoticed and due to an anticoagulant (hirudin) the blood does not clot. But I feel that some persons; inspite of this, notice the leech bite immediately. Due to anticoagulant, the blood keeps on flowing even after the leech gets fallen off or removed. Some persons, if bitten by many leeches, may faint or panic after seeing blood flowing from the bites. Some people apply odomos or similar repellants to avoid bites. Some use salt solution or salt as such or tobacco or turmeric solution to force the leech to fall off. Leeches have so powerful jaws that they can make holes in loosely woven cloths especially normal type of socks, and bite.
Though it is claimed that the bite is harmless except loss of little blood, it may cause allergic reaction to some people. The blood flowing from wound stops after few minutes, the wound gets healed up in a couple of days. All goes well thereafter. But for some unknown reason, even after months of the bite, the wound develops a swelling and itching. This happens to very few people. Don’t know why.
It is almost impossible to avoid leeches in moist forests. You walk fast, you run, you fly, they will get you. They get attached in a fraction of second. The terrestrial leeches are found even hanging from leaves of trees and they get you at shoulder, neck, arm whichever body part comes near.
I once caught a turtle in Madhya Pradesh. The moment I lifted it up from the water, I sensed a movement on finger tip which was below the turtle, I turned it upside down only to found tens of aquatic leeches taking a free ride and couple of them trying to feast on my finger. I got good snaps of all things which I'm unable to find now : (
In a forest you move happily that there are no leeches. But it rains for even a couple of minutes and there they are, out of nowhere, as if it has rained leeches. Initially I was reluctant to touch the wriggling creature. I had a sort of nausea as many others have. Now I prefer them to fall off on their own after stomach gets full. Or if they are too many, just pick them up and toss off. It needs a little skill. Give it a try next time you get one. Thanx for patient reading.
