On a cloudy Sunday, a few weeks ago, wildlife enthusiasts Geetha and Sheshadri Srinivasa from Bengaluru decided to catch up with the leopards, panthers, deers and elephants in their neighbourhood.
The idea was to do a weekend Safari at Kabani Forests, one of the most popular wildlife destinations in Karnataka. As they ventured into the jungle, hoping to sight some big cats, Mr Leopard was on the prowl to find some food.
Soon, they found themselves in the middle of a live hunt: the wait, the graze, the pounce on the deer and the feeble cries of the prey. Geetha and Sheshadri went on a clicking spree, capturing the moments on their respective cameras. As they captured a live hunt, their moment of fame was not very far.
The word quickly spread through fellow wildlife enthusiasts, a few of them jealous, the others startled at their luck and achievement. The pictures soon got picked up by the media. The duo is now planning to send them to the Natural History Museum in UK for a contest.
We love going to forests for vacations, holidays, safaris and hope to see and capture the rarest or rare in the jungles each time, but this is the first time the most rare thing actually happened in front of our eyes.Geetha Srinivasa
Holidays safaris as exciting as they may sound need meticulous planning and know-how of the jungles. It is the animal behaviour and the wind direction that prompted Sheshadri to wait.
“Nature can offer you endless happiness and learning only if you don’t mess with it and know how to get the best out of it. We come back from the jungle with important life lessons,” says Seshadri whose love for wildlife photography has taken him to almost every forest area in India.
For nature lovers and many others who are yet to get their best sightings in jungles, the couple has a piece of advice.
You have to genuinely love nature; it is only then that nature gives back to you. Be patient with jungles and learn to take cues from nature.
If this remotely thrills and excites you, plan your next safari. Who knows what you might find!
Video Editor: Kunal Mehra
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