Wildlife Photographer Dhruv Patil On Conservation, Compassion And The Curiosity Of The Wild

Kabini is truly the real-life ‘Jungle Book’. From Bagheera the panther to Baloo and Sher Khan, Kabini has it all. My photography journey began with some of the individuals from Kabini, like Torn Ears and Backwater Female. I have been watching them for the last ten years and remember growing up watching them. Seeing the circle of life as tiger cubs become mothers themselves and rule over their mother’s territory, I fell in love with these individuals. They have a special place in my heart.

In 2020, after a 5-year wait, I finally captured a picture of the elusive black panther in Kabini. This made headlines across the world. In 2022, I hosted a lecture for a UNESCO global panel under their UNITWIN program. The panel consisted of professors from 20 different countries, each a pioneer in their respective field of life sciences. At just 21 years old, I was responsible for sharing my knowledge and stories about conservation and wildlife.

My talk focused on ‘Uniting Camera and Conservation’, discussing how stories of compassion from the wild can help the public develop a positive emotional bond with animals, which can significantly contribute to conservation efforts. It feels amazing to have documented some incredible phenomena over the last few years, from the black panther itself to leucistic deer and other unique aspects of the forest. Even within the Bengal tigers, capturing the individualistic behaviour and each individual’s unique persona has been incredible.

I've always aimed to raise awareness and share my stories and perspectives with the world to inspire more people to appreciate the beauty of the jungle. I've been using social media and photos to do this, while also making sure to complete my education. Once I return from New York University, I plan to dive back into my passion and exclusively showcase Kabini and Karnataka's incredible biodiversity. I've already taken students and clients from around the world on safaris with me, and witnessing their transformed reactions and perspectives afterwards fuels my desire to do the same with as many people as possible in the safari jeep, in my element.

I am passionate about getting more people from my demographic to join me on safaris, especially families with children who can be inspired to love wildlife and appreciate rare creatures. I have a wide network from NYU and friends across Europe and India, and I believe that my social media and other platforms have been crucial in raising awareness among people of my generation. One of my most cherished stories is about our family friends’ children, whom I took on safari when they were 8 and 10. They have since fallen in love with the jungle like I have and now travel the world with their cameras, photographing animals. This is a story that brings me immense happiness. If I can inspire the next generation to love wildlife, I believe I have fulfilled my purpose on this planet by spreading the ‘wildlife bug’.

On safaris with me, you will not only have a photographer and tracker with 11 years of field experience at the age of 21, but you will also get to hear some of my personal experiences and stories about the individual animals in the forest that I have grown up with. A typical safari with me includes a two-night stay in Kabini and Bandipur with 4-5 safaris, offering the chance to see some of the most incredible and elusive fauna, along with unique stories and camera perspectives.

One of the most memorable experiences I've had in my 11 years of tracking big cats occurred in March 2019. After an 11-day expedition, we arrived at Nayanjikate Lake, famous for the Nayanjikate female, also known as the Russell line female. I had seen her multiple times before, but this encounter was special because I saw her with her three tiger cubs, who were just two months old, for the first time.

We spent an undisturbed hour and a half observing these cubs as they drank water and played with their mother and each other. One particular cub stood out to me because it would snarl at our jeep, showing a remarkable boldness for its age. This cub, unafraid of the foreign object that is a jeep, displayed a fearless nature that stayed with me. Unfortunately, in 2021, the Russell line female tragically died due to a snare trap. However, that same bold cub, which we named Magge, survived and grew to take over her mother's territory. I've had the privilege of seeing Magge every year since 2020. She grew into a huge, bold female tiger, maintaining her fearless personality as a cub.

One of the most incredible sightings of Magge was her leaping across a pond, a moment that perfectly encapsulated her strength and grace. The full-circle moment came this past December when I saw Magge again. This time, she wasn't alone; she called out her own cubs. Seeing her with her cubs, just as I had seen her with her mother years ago, was an emotional and awe-inspiring experience. It's these deep, personal connections and witnessing the life cycle of these magnificent creatures that make my work so meaningful. It's like watching a sibling grow up, and moments like these give me chills and reaffirm why I dedicate my life to this field.

Another encounter that I cherish the most is the sighting of the Black Panther, which I consider my magnum opus. From 2015 to 2020, and more intensively from 2017 to 2020, I dedicated over 150 safaris exclusively to tracking the Black Panther in the Kaimara and Balle territories. Each safari lasted about three and a half hours, and I spent every moment of these safaris focused on finding this elusive creature, amounting to seven hours a day in relentless search.

The pursuit of the Black Panther taught me invaluable lessons in patience and perseverance. The prolonged wait not only tested my endurance but also allowed me to appreciate other aspects of the forest, such as the birds and tigers, more deeply. Despite my existing love for these animals, the wait for the Black Panther opened my eyes to the forest's broader ecosystem.

Finally, on a winter morning, after years of anticipation, I experienced the moment I had been waiting for. I was on safari with a colleague named Shahs when we heard langurs calling down the road. By this point, I had almost lost hope due to numerous false alarms where langur calls led to nothing or sightings of regular leopards. But that day was different. As we approached, the Black Panther appeared, walking down the road.

For the first three minutes, I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't take a single clear picture—my hands and legs were shaking with excitement and disbelief. The charisma of the Black Panther was mesmerising as he walked on the road, occasionally looking back at us. He even climbed a tree, granting us a remarkable three-hour sighting.

The sheer emotion of finally seeing the Black Panther after years of waiting is indescribable. The experience was so profound and unique that it remains unparalleled by any other sighting. This encounter reinforced the value of perseverance and made every moment of the wait worthwhile.

I have gathered a wealth of knowledge from personal anecdotes and experiences of incredible individuals, behavioural nuances, tracking hacks, and intuition gained from experience. For instance, I've learned about the differences in predators between Bandipur and Kabini. Even though they are located just across a river, the topography of Kabini, being a flat forest, causes tigers to be more muscular and bigger as they have to traverse the elevation. Additionally, I've observed differences in prey, such as Kabini having a higher propensity for deer and langur, while in Bandipur it's mainly the Sambar deer and Gaur. These differences in prey also affect the predators, causing them to have a bigger jawline and face as they have to take down larger prey. Over the years, I've had sightings like that of Kismet, who defied all odds by making her 2 litters co-exist, showcasing very idiosyncratic tiger behaviour. These learnings have enabled me to better understand the forest and its animals.

I have a special connection with Kabini, as it feels like home to me. I highly recommend visiting Kabini during different seasons to have unique experiences. The stunning monsoons offer lush greens and the chance to see leopards on trees, while the dry summers provide opportunities to witness tigers swimming. My favourite time to visit is during winter when the mist-covered jungle reveals rosettes or stripes in the most incredible light.

Recently, I have been exploring Bandipur, which offers a very different topography and some of the most incredible leopard sightings. The individuals in Bandipur have their own incredible stories to share.

In 2017, I spent a month in Masai Mara, the iconic wildlife haven in East Africa, spotting the incredible Big 5 of Africa in the Savannahs.