A wildlife photographer and a renowned ornithologist pen down a book that displays our country's rich biodiversity
A book showcasing varied biodiversity of India, authored by ornithologist Dr Asad Rahmani and wildlife photographer Drithiman Mukherjee, was launched at the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). While Rhinos, Elephants and Tigers generally constitute the important wildlife in India, the two experts aim at showcasing the lesser spoken biodiversity in their book called "Magical Biodiversity of India".
The book highlights 458 images clicked over a period of 10 years. "It is documented for the general public, policy makers, conservationists, environmentalists and students who appreciate and want to study the vast flora and fauna species in the country," said Rahmani.
The 280-page book has pictures and information of 10 different bio-geographical regions in India that include the Himalayan, Trans Himalayan, Gangetic plains, Western ghats, among others.
Talking about his work for the book, Mukherjee said: "These are pictures I have clicked in my travel expeditions after 2006. When I started, I thought the national parks and sanctuaries were the central habitats for wildlife. But I did not have the money to visit all these places. Instead, I chose to travel to the interior areas. The pictures I clicked spoke about wildlife species and habitats from the remotest parts of the country. The huge biodiversity which I experienced, I realized it should be documented. Through this book we want to highlight the beauty of these remote areas in the eye of a common public."
A few species that he has clicked includes Snow Leopards, Tibetan Wolves, Tibetan Gazelles, Bengal Florican and Arunachal Macau. As both Rahmani and Mukherjee have visited many remote areas, they studied the problems related to natural habitats in these regions.
"Though we had a wonderful experience meeting local people, living with them, sharing their concerns and adapting to their customs, it was unfortunate to see that most of the habitats were under threat. Forest biodiversity is relatively protected through a large network of Protected Areas and 49 Tiger Reserves but grasslands, wetlands, scrubland and marine ecosystems are not cared for," said Rahmani adding that the book aims to change attitudes of people towards these ignored habitats.
The experts believe that with proper awareness on India's biodiversity, a change could be made. "This is the first book in a series that we want to bring out on India's biodiversity. When people will know about India's biodiversity, they are will appreciate it. If our book makes more people interested in conserving the biodiversity of India, our purpose will be served," Rahmani concluded.
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