Nakul Chengappa is a budding wildlife photographer from Karnataka. Hailing from a family of coffee planters from Coorg, Nakul grew up in the lap of nature. So it seemed all but natural to capture what he saw around him from a very young age.
Nakul’s passion took him to various wildlife destinations in Southern India where he chased tigers, elephants and wild dogs for that one special shot. A fresh marketing and finance graduate, and currently pursuing a job with an IT firm, it is not difficult to guess that this young talent’s free time is reserved just for wildlife deep in the forests of India, with his camera by his side.
Also Read: Ramit Singal, In the World of Birds
India’s Endangered caught up with Nakul recently for a quick chat. Do see a glimpse of his work and read more about his passion for wild cats, Kabini and wildlife conservation.
When and how did your love for nature photography begin? How old were you then?
Hailing from a family of coffee planters, I was brought up in a small town nestled away in the Western Ghats very close to the Nagarahole tiger reserve in Coorg. Living in close proximity of animals in a way nurtured my interest for the forests and the animals that inhabit them.
I have been actively travelling to the forests of South India from the late 2000’s. Tracking the big cats of these forests inspired me to take up photography, to tell the untold stories of these elusive creatures.
Which is your most favourite wildlife destination?
With the abundance of both predator & prey, and the dramatic landscape of the backwaters Kabini is my most favourite destination to capture wildlife. The thick undergrowth and ancient twisted trees of the forest makes it the perfect abode for the big cats.
Any significant species or incident that happened while clicking pics in the forest that you’d like to mention?
I have always in been awe of the mighty tiger. Owing to their low numbers & rarity, all the time that I have spent with this elusive cat I hold memorable and significant.
Besides the big mammals is there any other endangered species that you’ve clicked?Where?
With numbers less than the tigers in the wild, I have been lucky to click the endangered Asiatic wild dog or Dhole at various locations along the Western Ghats.
What are your future plans in terms of working with wildlife or wildlife conservation?
My future plans in terms of wildlife is to address a huge problem that forests in India face, which is the man-animal conflict. I intend to closely work with the people that live on the fringes of these forests, educating them on the ways to co-exist with the animals & create awareness of how important these creatures are to the health & diversity of the ecosystem.
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