WildLife Photography: Pros and Cons

India is among the top twelve countries in the world in terms of wildlife and forests representing ‘mega diversity’. Remote mountains, frozen plateaus, wet evergreen foothills, rainforests and dry scrublands, deserts, saline plains, mangroves, lush mountain forests, grassy meadows, shady pools of water; The tall, feathery bamboo collectively supports an astonishing variety of wildlife.

For centuries animals have been worshiped in India, for example elephants are seen as Lord Ganesha and monkeys as Hanumana.

In India a large number of national parks and sanctuaries have now been established to provide natural habitat for animals. “TIGER” is National Animal and “PEACOCK” is National Bird of India. This is the only place in the world where you can see the majestic beauty of the Tiger in a single visit to Bandhavgarh, Kanha or Ranthambore National Park. The tiger has now become a main animal of India.

Corbett National Park – The oldest national park in India and the Periyar reserve is home to the Asian elephants. The Kaziranga in Assam is the homeland of a horned rhinoceros. Gujrat’s Gir Forest is now the only place in all of Asia for Asiatic Lion. Keoladeo Ghana National Park, a world heritage site, is a wetland that attracts some of the largest congregations of migratory waterfowl.

Its flora included 15,000 flowering plants that represent 6% of the world total. India’s fauna diversity is also high, with 1,178 bird species accounting for 14% of the world total. Likewise, there are more than 500 species of mammals, 30,000 insects and more than 400 varieties of reptiles. In short, this subcontinent is a paradise for those who love to observe the grace and beauty of flora and fauna and for those who wish to capture it on film.

With an astonishing variety of flora and fauna, it is unfortunate to learn that around 250 animals are in danger of extinction and need immediate protection. Some of them, like Cheetah, are already extinct and many more are on the tail sadly surviving on their last legs, for example the tiger, the golden langur, some varieties of deer and monkeys and certainly some of the birds.

The Government of India has made various efforts to protect and pervert this rich wildlife and splendid nature. One of the success stories is that of the “Tiger Project”, the most spectacular and the one that has saved many forests under its wide umbrella. The Tiger Project succeeded primarily through the strong and evocative symbol of the tiger itself, bringing together public opinion not in India but around the world.

In 1972, India declared a number of animals and birds as fully protected and began the “tiger project”, declaring 11 sanctuaries, reserved forests and national parks for tigers exclusively on the Indian subcontinent. The measures to preserve wildlife taken since independence have been fruitful to some extent. We now have more than 200 sanctuaries, national parks, and reserve forests spread across the country. Some of these measure up to 780 square feet. km and the smallest around 26 square kilometers in area. Most of them are well connected by road and rail and some even by air. Furnished rooms, dormitories, a Forest Department rest house and private hotels with all the comforts are available. In most sanctuaries and national parks, the roads are good. In some places there are watchtowers near water wells. Common animals found in abundance.