No discussion of Malayalam animal stories is complete without mentioning the legendary Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. In his masterpiece Bhoomiyude Avakashikal (The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth), Basheer boldly proclaims that birds, reptiles, and wild beasts have as much right to the earth as human beings. His stories treat crows, snakes, and stray dogs not as pests, but as characters with distinct personalities and rights.

A soaring eagle might represent a forbidden, soaring passion.

: This classic romance by Basheer, available through DC Books , uses rural settings where animals are part of the intimate backdrop of the protagonists' lives.