Ahead of World Wildlife Day 2024 on Sunday, let photographer Dhruv Patil to take you on a virtual safari
Wildlife photographer and conservationist Dhruv Patil's journey began at eight when his mother handed him a simple point-and-shoot camera. He embarked on daily excursions with like-minded friends to Sankey Tank in Bengaluru, capturing the exotic beauty of egrets and cormorants in the heart of the city. This early exposure would ignite a lifelong commitment to wildlife and his role as a catalyst for change—founding the Society for Protection of Plants and Animals (SPPA). What began as a school club has evolved into a powerhouse NGO with a 4000+ volunteer base, actively rescuing and protecting wildlife. As these photographs attest, this twenty-year-old's journey and his photographs of the wild are not just a narrative. It is a call to action to conserve and protect these iconic and vulnerable species, in his own words
Kabini Forest Reserve (Nagarhole Tiger Reserve), India. Image: Dhruv Patil
Watch deep inside the greens and find emeralds staring into your soul, for the forest is always watching.
Vijayapur, India. Image: Dhruv Patil
The divine aura of avian beauty is embodied by the Paradise Flycatcher. A unique capture of a migratory male with a dragonfly hunt amidst the winter greens.
Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. Image: Dhruv Patil