peacock flight at spot at Delhi
tigress with cubs at tadoba andhari tiger reserve

Rarest shots in wild to know what has been the Natures Reward to the Nature Lovers. International day for biological diversity is celebrated world over on 22nd May every year for promotion of biodiversity issues. On 22nd May 1992, the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted by the United Nations at a conference in Nairobi, Kenya. Since 2001 the International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated each year on the anniversary of this date.

Every year a different theme is touched upon for making this planet worth living for the present and for the future generations.

This year the theme is “Celebrating 25 years of Action for Biodiversity”.

Let us first understand the meaning of the word Biodiversity. Bio means life. Diversity signifies a range of different things. When we combine both of them it leads to a Diversity of life. The diversity of species, ecosystems and landscapes attract tourism and promote economic growth. In the present times tourism has become one of the most important engine of economic growth for the governments all over the world after the globalisation.

peacock flight at spot at Delhi

It was in the year 2004 I was attracted by the wilderness of our country and was amazed to see its uniqueness . It started from the well known park Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh in 2004 and now trying to visit other national parks and the wildlife sanctuaries, one by one as time permits.

My first encounter was a very rare phenomenon in the wild at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve where we found a langur monkey having water in the normal way and the adjoining langur drinking water like a human being. It was like a great evolution taking place in front of my eyes. This was in the year 2011.

crested serpent eagle feeding burmese python at dudhwa tiger reserve

In 2011 December we again witnessed another wonder in Dudhwa National park wherein a Crested Serpent Eagle was feeding on a Burmese python on the branch of a tree. Wildlife community says that this is the first record in the world. In 2017 the behaviour got recorded in American Scientific Journal.

In November 2014 we were fortunate to record yet another unique behaviour in Sariska Tiger reserve in the State of Rajasthan where in addition to the fawn having milk from the mother Sambar, the male too is trying to suck milk from the backside. Dr K Shankar,Senior Professor , who was earlier with the Wildlife Institute Of India at Dehradun and worked at Sariska Tiger Reserve for more than 25 years ,opined that this behaviour is unbelievable.

langur monkey drinking water at tadoba andhari tiger reserve

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve has always surprised me and blessed me. On 28th February 2015 it blessed me with a great photograph and a large number of nature lovers opined that I was lucky to record in my camera.

In June 2015 the wilderness of Delhi presented an image of a Peacock (National Bird Of India ) in a new AVTAAR.

On 20th March 2016, i was observing Indian grey Hornbill in the morning, which is native to Indian Sub Continent and generally found in the urban cities and towns.

During mating it is the male which mounts over the female. However i was surprised to observe a female mounting over the male and mating lasted for about 45 seconds. This unique and unusual mating behaviour recorded by anybody in the world , was published by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in their magazine Newsletter for Birdwatchers. Again this year I observed the similar mating on 9th March 2018.

male sambar and calf sucking milk at sariska tiger reserve

I thought of sharing the most unique events which have been recorded for the first time by a person like you who started as a tourister but became a hard core nature and wildlifer lover as per God’s wishes.

In am reminded of a beautiful song by Mohammed Rafi from film MELA — YE ZINDGI KE MELE DUNIYA ME KAM NA HONGE —AFSOS HUM NA HONGE.

About Vinod Goel

He joined Customs & Central Excise service in 1982. As a civil servant, his job takes him to various parts of India, which gave him an opportunity to capture our wild heritage, through his camera. His passion for wildlife photography started in 2004 when he was posted at Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and this passion continues till today.