A summer with predators & prey

The summer is here and wildlife photographers in Hyderabad are all excited to venture into the wilderness to hangout with their jungle friends.
A leaopard perched on the wall of an abandoned school outside Tadoba clicked by Masood Hussain. It  won the ‘Highly Commended’ mention in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition by the Natur
A leaopard perched on the wall of an abandoned school outside Tadoba clicked by Masood Hussain. It won the ‘Highly Commended’ mention in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition by the Natur

HYDERABAD :  The summer is here and wildlife photographers in Hyderabad are all excited to venture into the wilderness to hangout with their jungle friends. They have packed their DSLRs, cleaned the lenses, configured some camera traps, bundled up cozy tents and refuelled their jeeps to drive into the thickest of forests across the country. 

The summer is special to many of these nature buffs for several reasons — this is when animals are easily spotted as they are forced to get out of their resting spots in search of water and the foliage dried up, making visibility much better. Anjani Kumar, a tiger lover and who has been capturing wildlife on his DSLR camera traps for close to a decade now, plans to visit the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve this season. 

A tiger peeks from behind a trunk,
clicked by Anjani Kumar

“I want to cover all mammals in the reserve and this is a good time to do it because waterholes deep in the forests dry up. So, animals come out in search of bigger water bodies such as ponds. Also, path becomes much predictable as the greenery is not much,” says the award-winning wildlife photographer, who designs his own camera traps based on the animal he plans to capture. Factors such as the animal’s size, speed and body temperature, apart from the terrain, decide the make of the camera traps.

Another big name in the circuit, Masood Hussain, has a long trip planned for May -- he wants to visit Sikkim, the Jim Corbett National Park and Sattal in Nainital for birdwatching.  “This is the time when the Himalayan birds migrate down to Nainital. I want to capture this local migration,” says Hussain, who won the ‘Highly Commended’ mention in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition held by the Natural History Museum, London, in 2020. He also plans to make quick weekend trips to the Tipeshwar and Tadoba forests. 

Samir Thakrar, comparatively a novice in wildlife photography, is all set to drive off to Pench and Kanha national parks in Madhya Pradesh. “My journey in wildlife photography started in 2015-16 when I took a trip to the Kawal Tiger Reserve. That’s where the forest officials told me to check out Tipeshwar (in Maharashtra) as more tigers can be spotted there. I fell in love the forest and rest is history,” says Samir, who loves the vibe of the forests so much that he not only spent his birthday in Tipeshwar last month but also bought some land there.

So, what are you waiting for? All you need is a point-and-shoot camera for starters and you are ready to bring back home some wildlife. Just be patient and observe the animals’ behaviour. Remember, you are in their home, be a courteous guest.

Langoors play on a summer day in a forest, clicked by Samir 
Langoors play on a summer day in a forest, clicked by Samir 

Listen to the nature buffs

  • No need to invest in expensive gear, first learn the techniques
  • Know your boundaries, be patient
  • Do not disturb the birds/animals 
  • Fall in love with the forest
  • Observe the animals’ behaviour
  • Be quiet

 — Himabindu Reddy himabindugopinath@newindianexpress.com @ahimureddy

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