What is the big deal about photographing wildlife?

A flock of Greylag Geese soars into the sky

I would like to repeat the title of this post, however in a slightly changed form to 'What is it that drives you to wake up early on a winter morning so that you can reach the National Park by seven in the morning after having driven all the way? Well, it is so that you can connect with nature before a noisy crowd arrives to spoil all the peacefulness with their loud voices and antics, all bound to make the birds and the animals wonder how human beings who are supposed to be more intelligent than animals and birds can be so raucous and indifferent to the environment!

A Golden Jackal, a lookout keeps a watchful eye on the path.

It is in the early mornings when everything is so pristine and calm that one connects to nature and this includes, one's soul. It is that alertness, that awareness, that sixth sense, that slight prickling in the back that makes you see things that you would not have been able to see in normal life! Each time I visit the Sultanpur National Park close to Gurgaon, I have been aware of being watched and it is not superstition but a fact that that is when I spot a Golden Jackal strategically placed on one side of the path, in direct view of another one. My regular visits to the national park and my regular sightings of Golden Jackals have made me realise how intelligent these Jackals are and that we need to study these animals further. My first sighting of the Jackals took place immediately after the National Park reopened after the Covid-19 lockdown and that was when I spotted a somewhat scarred Golden Jackal that I had fondly named Scarface! Since then I have seen the number of Golden Jackals increase to about five or six.

Jackal siblings 

Golden Jackals live in a hierarchical structure. It looks like a leader in the pack leads them all. While they might seem to be a bit ferocious in appearance, to me they seem to be graceful, sleek, alert and highly curious. Curious and inquisitive are the words I would like to use for the Jackals I have come across during these last two years. 

A lone Golden Jackal that got cut off from the pack

One of the lookouts posted by the leader of the pack!

I guess the Jackals in the Sultanpur National Park are very cautious because they are threatened by the presence of a pack of dogs that has suddenly taken over the National Park. Dogs are a serious threat to all the migratory birds that arrive at the park during the winter months.

It is amazing how much we can learn from observing wildlife in all its forms. While National Parks are doing a fairly good job of protecting wildlife, it is also important to ensure that they don't have to share their already limited space with other domesticated animals like cattle. Dogs also pose a serious threat to other wildlife in National parks. 

While Golden Jackals might be some of the more earth-bound wildlife to be found in the Sultanpur National park, some of the more intriguing and interesting tree-bound creatures are the Spotted Owls that can be seen hiding in the branches of the trees that line the path that winds through the National Park. They are very difficult to spot and one might able to spot them when they are seen flitting from one branch to another to settle hidden from sight.

Some of the smaller birds like the long-tailed Shrike, Blue-throat, White-throated Kingfishers and Bee-eaters, can be seen on most early winter mornings flitting from bush to bush looking for a tasty morsel to gorge on. Since early winter morning can be especially cold, one might be able to get a good shot of them as they are a bit slow in the cold weather. Kingfishers are more likely to sit still as they warm up in the sun. The Indian Robin too can be spotted provided you reach the park early in the morning.

A Long-tailed Shrike

A White-throated Kingfisher warms itself in the Sun

An Indian Robin pauses for a while.

A Blue-throat

The big deal about photographing wildlife lies in the thrill of spotting something you don't usually see in everyday life. It is all about connecting with nature and yourself. It is all about spotting that Owl peeping from behind the thick branches of a tree, acknowledging its presence and then moving on, because you respect its privacy.