Lens On Conservation: Jayaprakash Bojan's Wildlife Rescue Efforts

I have always loved watching wildlife and spending time outdoors exploring. In my youth, there was no access to the Internet, but I was constantly fascinated by the photographs I used to see in National Geographic magazines.

I guess my affair with nature began during my childhood. Every vacation, I visited my grandparents' village in the pristine Nilgiri Mountains in Tamil Nadu and spent hours trying to catch tadpoles, thinking they were fish. I would chase the Nilgiri langurs who visited our village frequently, and I remember there was a season when we had thousands of dragonflies in the fields. I spent hours in the forest looking for wild, edible, endemic fruits that are now nearly extinct. I even saw my first tiger at a young age.

It's a long story. It was my 3rd trip to Borneo, and I was specifically trying to photograph the Proboscis monkeys swimming across rivers. When in Tanjung Puting National Park in Kalimantan, Indonesia, I usually stay in a houseboat and float around the river looking for wildlife. One morning, my local guide and I met some rangers who told us that they had seen a male orangutan in the river. Instantly, I knew it was a precious moment because the Red Apes are arboreal, and they usually keep away from water, especially these waters, as they are infested with crocodiles. In fact, mothers teach their little ones to stay away from water. So we decided to try our luck and went in that direction. We didn't see anything for two days, and finally, on day three, the magical moment came to be. I got down into the river from the boat to get a better view and, also to ensure we wouldn't spook the orangutan.

At one point, this huge male saw me and hid behind a tree in the river; I was worried I would scare him, so I hid behind another tree on the opposite side. After a few minutes, I peeped out from behind the tree to see if he was still around, and the timing was just perfect. He was also peeping from behind the tree to see if I was still around. That's when I got my first eye contact shot of the male looking into my camera. After about 20 minutes, he was comfortable enough to walk across the river. It was an incredible sight to watch and document.

After winning the National Geographic award, my published images from the series went viral and spotlighted the species and the issues with deforestation in Borneo. Since then, I have been an ambassador for orangutan conservation, working with NGOs in the region to raise awareness and funds for the species. I have done awareness and fundraising campaigns overseas with the support of NGOs working on rainforest and orangutan conservation.

Locally here in Singapore, I have produced a series of videos to raise awareness on local biodiversity. I worked with National Parks Singapore and organisations like WWF Singapore to produce documentaries about illegal wildlife trade and Singapore's capabilities to curb the trade in the region. I've also given several educational talks, especially in schools around Singapore. I also support local organisations working on rescuing and releasing injured wild animals in Singapore through content creation to raise awareness around co-existence and fundraising campaigns for the organisation.

Here in Singapore, the government and the National Parks Board have done an extraordinary job to preserve local wildlife and biodiversity. We have beautiful mangroves in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Pasir Ris Park that have been preserved. My favourite place is Pasir Ris Park—only a few minutes from where I live.

Most of the preservation work is done by the National Parks Board, and I play a supporting role by raising awareness on biodiversity in and around the park. We are an island, and fishing for food and as a hobby around our shores is common. Around the Pasir Ris mangroves, I often find myself rescuing endangered species that get caught in discarded fishing nets. I counsel the locals to stay away from fishing around the mangroves so we can preserve their biodiversity.

The feeling of making a real difference through educational content creation, awareness campaigns, etc., gives me a high. More importantly, when I started my journey as a storyteller, I didn't think an individual could make a difference. Still, over the years, I have experienced and learnt that every effort counts and can make a substantial difference if you are consistent and persist with your vision.

Usually, I take all the necessary precautions, but occasionally, one does run into an unpredictable situation. I remember we were filming orangutans in a remote river late one evening, and it was getting darker; a rainstorm was approaching. We had to do an hour's journey in a four-seater speed boat back to the shores through the choppy sea. It got pitch dark with heavy rain, and the waves were getting bigger and bigger. We had almost zero visibility; thankfully, the skilled boatman managed to get us safely to shore.

I love all species, big and small. But I'm probably a little biased towards apes and monkeys.

There is no magic formula for a perfect picture. When I started as a photographer, it was all about taking beautiful photos. Now, it is all about storytelling. I am constantly visualising images in my head that could tell a story or convey a message, and visualising it is the key because when the right moment arises, you are ready to compose it correctly. I don't panic like I did in my earlier days—I am not in a hurry to click anymore. Taking the time to absorb the surroundings, understanding the direction of the light, and knowledge of the species are some of the key ingredients to taking good images. In fact, I believe preparation is 80 percent, and the actual process of taking the shot is only 20 percent.

It's usually early mornings and late evenings when the light is diffused; the skies are colourful—the images have more drama and mood. I also love rainy days.

If you are a beginner, learn about the species, its behaviour and surroundings. Understanding the direction of light and simple composition techniques is essential. Also, get to know your equipment and its limitations. If you are a pro, I would advise continuously challenging yourself to bring new perspectives through your compositions, images and videos.