Interview on viral image,’Find the Leopard’

Find the Snow Leopard was sensation on internet after people started sharing it.

Saurabh Desai- a mechanical engineer turned professional wildlife and nature photographer who has published a book and launched a website called ‘Visual Poetries’ – containing images from certain places of wildlife in India. He is the co-founder of 50mm Media Productions, which also serves as a photography school in Surat.  He has traveled far and wide to shoot – from deep forests and grasslands, coastal lines and wetlands, to the snow peaks of the Himalayas. His recent work – Art of Camouflage has fetched him accolades for capturing the magnificent and elusive snow leopard, camouflaged with its surroundings. 

• Tell us something about yourself. How many times have you traveled to the Himalayas to capture wildlife? 

I studied mechanical engineering and then started working for L&T as a planning engineer but since my childhood my heart used to wander into the forest most of the time. To fulfill my childhood dream of being a full time wildlife photographer I decided to leave the company and started my practice. Since then in the last 5 years I have visited Himalayas for more than 18 times now but especially Ladakh and Spiti range attracted me a lot due to its immense scale and critical equilibrium of nature and wildlife.

• Can you elaborate on the Spiti Valley project? When did you embark upon it?

I had captured many different species in this region but I was looking for Snow Leopard in this region from last 3 years. But as fine art photographer I wanted to click something new and interactive most of the time thus it took little long for me. I just did not want to do what already has seen and done. So this year when the record braking snow fall hit the valley I was there looking for this most illusive cat in the world deep into the remote villages and valleys near Kibbar, Chicham & Langza village during my 30 days expedition in February and March. 

• Please describe the location and the flora and fauna around the valley

This area is above tree-lines so you really can’t see any trees and plants around at the height is between 15000 ft to 18000ft. But the unique animals like Blue Sheeps, Ibex, Red Fox, Tibetan Wolf and above all Snow Leopard was in the hit list. Some birds like Chukar, Golden Eagel, Lemergear, Snow Cock, and Finch are also part of this landscape. But this year I specially decided to concentrate on ‘Shan’ which is a local name for Snow Leopard.

• How difficult is it to spot a snow leopard? A little of their characteristics, and how long had you researched on the species?

The most difficult of this expedition is to reach this place in the palm of Himalayas where the altitude is between 15000ft to 18000ft and temperature is below 30 degree from zero (-30), oxygen level is almost 50% less than sea level and air is really chilled and thin to survive for many of us. So your physical fitness really meters, we should not visit if we are not prepared for such terrain. 

• Did you face any obstacles along the way in the rugged Himalayan terrain? 

Yes indeed walking into 4ft deep snow at this altitude is a challenge and not easy at all and sometimes we have to cope up with the speed of the leopard while it is walking on the other side of the ridge. So it’s a task. But when it comes to walking right on the ridge with a 25kg camera load is dangerous. 

• What all do you have to keep in mind while shooting in the snow peaks of the Himalayas?

The first thing that I keep in mind is not disturbed the animals or habitat of the place in any case. We must follow all the ethical part of it.

• How did you spot the leopard on the snow-covered crag? And how difficult was the catch? You waited for several hours to spot it?

Yes everyday we used to walk long ways and waited for hours on different part of the Spiti valley. But due to my local friends from the villages helped doing this and helped me spoting the snow leopard.

• The distance you took those shots from?

The distance was around 200 meters. 

• What are the threats to the survival of snow leopards? 

Changing climate, increasing population of stray dogs, uneducated and increased tourism in such regions should be controlled. I guess local authorities are well aware of these things and they are gradually taking necessary steps for certain issues. 

• Have you spoken about the threat of poaching with wildlife authorities?    

There is no poaching identified in this region since long time. But I can’t comment on other part of the country and especially countries like China, which is a biggest animal treading destination. 

• Has anyone approached you in finding solutions to protecting the species, or have you thought about any?

Since a long time ‘Snow Leopard Trust’ along with Forest Department are making great efforts behind the conservation of this animal.

• When is your next project in the Himalayas? Would it be more of Snow Leopards?

I am leaving for another project in Himalayas in Changthang areas of ladakh range, but this time I will concentrating on landscapes and culture of this area.