24 June,2023 04:53 PM IST | Mumbai | Aditi Chavan
An image from the exhibition captured at Aarey Forest. Pic/Rane Ashish
Highlighting the conservation of leopards and the efforts taken by Mumbai's photographers for this initiative, a photo exhibition titled Wild & Wonderful: The Leopards of Mumbai, opens in a Malad mall today. "Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and Maharashtra Forest Department have been researching the habitat of leopards in SGNP, Aarey Milk Colony and the adjoining areas to focus on the conservation of the species. They had installed camera traps with remote sensors along with some DSLR camera traps to take realistic, artful images of the leopards. The two organisations were the ones who came up with this idea and several contributors joined them," says Ranjeet Jadhav, mid-day's special correspondent who is also a part of the team helping the Forest Department monitor leopard activity at Aarey Milk Colony.
Three leopards captured through a DSLR camera trap at Aarey Milk Colony. Pic/Ranjeet Jadhav
The exhibition showcases 18 photographs captured over five years by 15 photographers, and includes Jadhav's work as well as frames by Ashish Rane, mid-day's photo editor and Pradeep Dhivar, principal photographer. An image by Nayan Khanolkar, a wildlife conservation photographer who has won several international awards, will also be a part of this exhibition. A volunteer will be present throughout to explain the backstories of each photograph. The images narrate a visual story of how leopards peacefully coexist in the city along with humans.
Two leopards relax while cuddling in the chilly winter in Aarey Forest. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar
Nikit Surve, biologist from Wildlife Conservation Society India will conduct a talk about the tales of Mumbai leopards on both days. He mentions that this exhibition hopes to break the negative perception around the big cat, "With news that we read about leopards, people usually associate them with fear. We are trying to show that they are different from the way humans perceive them."
Till: Tomorrow; 11 am to 9 pm
At: Inorbit Mall, New Link Road, Malad West
