Advocate Turned Wildlife Photographer on a Journey to Document All 55 Tiger Reserves in India

WHO IS AARZOO KHURANA?

Aarzoo Khurana, an advocate and wildlife photographer, has been captivating audiences for the past decade. With a global following exceeding 2 million across various social media platforms, her work has been prominently featured in prestigious publications such as Discovery, Nat Geo, BBC Earth, and Reader's Digest. Aarzoo is also a proud brand ambassador for Sony.

Driven by her profound passion for jungles, Aarzoo embarked on this extraordinary journey. Her goal is to shift the spotlight from the renowned tiger reserves, which attract the majority of tourism, to the remote and lesser-known reserves. She believes that these hidden gems deserve recognition and that increasing tourism in these areas will stimulate local economies.

As these areas flourish economically, revenue will be generated for the improvement of the reserves. Additionally, the local communities will benefit significantly from this tourism, creating a sustainable cycle of growth and conservation.

WHAT IS ATR?

ATR is a groundbreaking project that has never been attempted in India before, standing for All Tiger Reserves. Led by Aarzoo and her dedicated team, this project aims to traverse all 55 tiger reserves across the country. It's not just a journey; it's a documentation project of epic proportions. Aarzoo and her team are meticulously documenting every aspect of their adventure—what they do, where they go, and the fascinating people they meet along the way.

CURRENT STATUS

Their incredible journey began on October 1st, 2023, and they have already explored 43 Tiger Reserves! Starting from the majestic Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, they traversed through the tiger reserves of Rajasthan before embarking on a journey through Madhya Pradesh.

From there, their adventure took them to Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and now, they are exploring the enchanting landscapes of the Northeast.

FUTURE

Post this they are going to north east and cover all the tiger reserves there. The journey will end in Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve.

QNA WITH AARZOO

What inspired you to pursue wildlife photography?

Long ago, when I had just started out, I was sitting in Bharatpur, capturing a pair of sarus cranes. It was the freezing winter and the cranes had not yet arrived while I was patiently waiting in a marshland.

At that point, I thought it was a complete waste of time to sit in that wet mud, waiting for a pair of birds that might or might not show up.

An hour later, my hands were freezing, but the birds finally came. I clicked away as much as I could. They called out and danced. A few moments later, as I looked at the images, there was one that stood out. The fog was gently falling around them, both cranes were looking up, the male had flared its feathers like a skirt, and the female was standing next to him, facing him. The golden light was piercing through their translucent feathers. In that second, it occurred to me that hardly anyone from my generation would sit for such a long time to photograph a bird as common as the sarus crane in such a heavenly setting. Until people see this, they won’t understand how a regular bird like this can look like a creation from heaven.

In that moment, I decided to be the bridge between the outer world and the forest. I thought of focusing on the common subjects and create some unique, uncommon frames of them.

What was your first experience of venturing into the wild as a photographer?

I am my parents' only child, and being a female and the sole offspring comes with its own challenges. They have always been extremely cautious when it comes to me.

I had to put up a huge fight to convince them to let me go to a forest for the first time. After days of arguments and fights, I finally went out.

While I was there, walking down the path of the forest in the extreme winter, my hands were freezing, I felt drowsy from waking up at 4:30 AM that day, and I felt uncomfortable carrying my camera bag, lens, and tripod. It occurred to me that it's such a waste of time and energy for something we aren't even sure we will achieve. I kept second-guessing myself as I walked through, looking at a few birds, bearing that smell of dead fish that comes in a marshland. I thought this would be my first and last trip.

What is your fondest memory from one of your journeys into the many forests across India? Is there an experience that has stayed with you? Please take us through it.

There are countless such instances. Every time I venture into the forest, a new memory is added to my collection of fond memories. One of those is from a recent trip to a tiger reserve during my ATR journey.

There is a tigress called Katrina, who has extremely young cubs. When I was there, the babies were around 40-50 days old. Of course, we can't be precise about the tiger's age, but we can make a rough estimate. I was eager to see the cubs because, up to that point, I had never seen such young ones. Typically, a tiger is very private when she gives birth.

Normally, a tigress would bring out her cubs from their safe space after 2.5-3 months, so the youngest I had seen were 3-5 months old.

We had about four safaris in that area, and throughout our entire safari time (about 4 hours each safari, so 8 hours in total), we kept tracking that tigress. The entire day had passed, but there was no sign of the cubs.

Right before the safari was about to end, one of my team members heard an alarm call. We went to check and saw the tigress standing right there. A couple of minutes later, she came closer to the jeep, perhaps wanting to have a better look at what was going on. The light was low as it was evening, and the canopy was dense. Later, she called out loudly, and one of the cubs came running to her. This baby was so tiny that he could barely walk; he was essentially trotting. It was the cutest thing I have ever witnessed in the wild. He came and hid behind his mother's leg. Despite the fear, the mother called to the cub again.

Some sort of communication happened, and he kept following his mother until both of them went out of our sight.

What would your advice be to a young female wildlife photographer who is just starting out?

I would say, don't overthink before starting, and certainly don't plan a career in this beforehand. In India, opportunities for wildlife photographers are limited. Pursue photography, learn the basics, and keep practicing. Find a safe place near your city where you can learn and practice the art. Focus on composition. Study the area you plan to travel to. Find a travel companion (if possible) for reassurance, but most importantly, pursue your career and have a fallback option. Plan B is important. Start earning and become financially independent. Gradually, opportunities will come around.

Tell us about your project to document all the tiger reserves in India. What is the inspiration behind it?

I'd like to share a story that holds a special place in my heart—it's about the most meaningful compliment I've ever received.

I had just mentioned Bharatpur in a previous conversation. Once, while I was shooting in Bharatpur, a young child approached me and said, "Didi, are you the one who takes photos of birds? I live in Bharatpur, but I've never gone inside to see the birds. After seeing your photos, I really want to go and see how beautiful the birds are." His words: “didi- didi, aap wahi didi ho na jo birds ke photo nikalti ho? Mein na

bharatpur Mein rehta hu par kabhi andar birds dekhne nahi Aya, aapke photo dekhke mera man hua Mein bhi Jaake dekhu birds kitne sundar hain”

I was deeply moved. It made me realize that if my photos could inspire this young boy to visit a forest he had never explored, despite living just 5 kilometers away, then what if I could showcase all of India's forests to others in my own way? Even if just two more children like him were motivated to visit, I would have succeeded. I have more than a hundred children who aspire to visit a jungle, and if they enjoy the experience, they might be inspired to protect it as well! That moment became my inspiration.

Are there any challenges that you have encountered while on your journey to cover India's many tiger reserves?

Yes, there were many challenges we faced during the journey. Initially, it was relatively easy as we visited well-explored tiger reserves. However, as we ventured into remote areas, finding contacts became increasingly difficult. Some tiger reserves had no ecotourism activities, so discovering ways to explore them presented a major challenge.

Moreover, driving for long hours and finding accommodations in small villages was another task altogether. While most days were good and we could manage clean beds to sleep, there were nights when we slept in small dormitories with mice scurrying around, or even in the car.

Food posed a huge challenge as well. While tourist spots offered good, hygienic options, in areas rarely visited by outsiders, restaurants were scarce. Being a vegetarian added to the challenge, as finding vegetarian food was sometimes problematic in some remote areas.

Additionally, the constant travel took a toll on our bodies. Travelling extensively without proper nutrition, and relying mostly on heavy restaurant food when available, made it even more exhausting. Believe me, it was much more challenging than I had imagined.

CONCLUSION

ATR has had a profound and lasting impact on me. I believed I was tough before starting ATR, but this journey tested me to my limits.

Being away from home for six continuous months, without proper nutrition, took a huge toll on both my body and mind. There were days when I felt utterly broken, and then there were days when I mustered up the strength to tie my socks and felt ready to conquer the world.

However, as time passed, a sense of stability emerged. Emotions became more balanced, and we adapted to the challenges, and everything started to feel more normal.

Driving for 10 hours straight became normal, working 14-hour days became the norm, and dealing with neck and back pains became routine, or perhaps we just grew accustomed to it all. Throughout this journey, there were countless individuals across the country who came forward to help and support me. They tracked my location, volunteered to assist me, and found contacts to make things easier for me.

I am incredibly fortunate and grateful to each and every person who supported me, as without them, this journey would not have been possible. I am especially thankful to my team. Irshad, the pillar of ATR, whose long hours of driving, exceptional tracking skills, and balanced approach made this journey possible. I am also thankful to Sanket and Harsh, who joined me at various times and helped edit the enormous amount of data we gathered. In tough times, they were a tremendous support.

I am grateful to my team in Delhi, particularly my best friend Nishtha, who supported me in every way possible. Of course, I cannot forget to mention my parents, who constantly motivated me during our phone calls. Lastly, I am deeply thankful to my very close friend, Mr. Hemraj Singh, another pillar of ATR. Without his support and guidance, a project like ATR could not have been started, let alone completed.