Wildlife
Living in a city in India, you are likely to experience a wide range of animal activity. While the country is known for its Tigers, Elephants and to a lesser extent Camels in certain areas, these are mostly confined to more rural parts of the country. But in Delhi and other similar size cities you will encounter a diverse and unique animal population.
Street dogs are particularly prevalent and are in high abundance. There are packs of them often seen roaming around residential areas and business districts alike. Delhi airport is allegedly home to around 160 dogs, and I personally have a pack of 5 dogs living outside may apartment. It does not take long to become very accustomed to dogs just being all around as you venture outside. In the main they will keep themselves to themselves and are unlikely to present as a nuisance. There are times when they may get a little more assertive though. From my experience this is usually after dark, when they will become more active as the heat of the day subsides. It also is usually when they find food or are delivered food by certain charities, so I suspect early evening also coincides with being more hungry and the streets getting quieter so they become more active. Other than being barked at on occasion I have never seen any actual aggression. All I usually observe is the dogs lazily meandering and sitting about watching passers-by. I have never felt under any threat, although I have heard tales of people being followed and of cars being chased. Simple observation of caution is best approach, and I would not recommend trying to get close and pet them. I suspect they are mostly harmless and my pack living outside seem particularly disinterested in any human activity, but it is better to be safe than sorry. Rabies does exist in India, and while rare it is not something you want to face potential exposure too by some inadvertent and unnecessary actions.
Monkeys are also quite abundant in certain areas, and these are to be avoided. They might look fun, and you may want to get close for a picture but be careful. They are vicious and territorial, so give them a wide berth.
The other larger animal you certainly cannot miss in India is the cow. They roam the streets and while generally harmless, their size and slow stubborn meandering is more an annoyance than anything else. They will quite happily stand in the middle of the road bemusedly watching the traffic jam building from cars that cannot get past them. They are a core feature of outdoor life in India, and something you just have to get used to.
JC in India 