Stripes of India: From Kanyakumari to Kashmir

Every time I went for safaris the GYPSY drivers that were driving in the north of the forest would be able to know within seconds about a spotting or injury of a wild cat in the south side. I wondered if it was possible to establish a similar model of communication for common wildlife photographers with minimal experience in the field. I was once told by a photographer named Salim Ali that photographers pay the forest officials to receive updates directly from them. Establishing a structured model of communication amongst young wildlife photographers from all across India would create a society of photographers who know that they are not alone.

The Need for an Accessible Communication Model for Emerging Wildlife Photographers

It was found that not knowing about the sighting index or health reports of tigers in forests could heavily impact the chances of capturing a tiger in the forest. In May 2025 I went to Tipeshwar in search of the female tigress PC unaware of the fact that it was pregnant. Out of spending 16 hours in the safari I have not seen the tigress for a single second. After going in the field I decided to solve this problem. The tigress was being cautious and did not even mark its territory after the rains were over.

The Impact of Information Gaps on Wildlife Photography Outcomes

This would always disappoint me not seeing a wild cat after a long four hours. My photography mentor, Srikanth Ayyagari, would always tell me that wildlife photography is all about patience and luck. I want to put some statistics and make predictions rather than basing my safari on luck. Each safari would test my patience and observing skills. I came to the problem statement of how young and upcoming wildlife photographers can receive updates on the sightings and health status of well known tigers across Indian wildlife sanctuaries.

A Field Experience That Highlighted the Problem

Initially, I would search for solutions that already exist. I stumbled across three websites which used to give detailed sighting index reports for forests like Tadoba and Kahna. I wanted to make a complete solution like this at first and I started with my research on why the websites were no longer functioning.

Defining the Core Problem Statement

The initial idea of solving the raw problem without glancing at the GYPSY driver model of communication was to receive the updates directly from the officials. A risk of not receiving the information from the officials was there, therefore scrapping the Idea then and there was the choice. Receiving information from the forest department has failed for three websites. Establishing a structured model of communication through the form of an application or a website appeared to be the most plausible solution.

Currently I am working on the prototype of making a website named Stripes of India where photographers would be able to showcase their experiences of capturing tigers and simultaneously also informing other wildlife photographers about the status of the tigers. Stripes of India is a website with a large whatsapp group idea application.

Key Learnings from the Journey: Patience, Observation, and Communication

This journey was a teacher to me. It taught me to be patient, It taught me to observe, It taught me the power of communication. From learning how tigers can be spotted with some quantitative and qualitative data like smell, sound and weather index.

Blog Written by,

Pranav Lakkaraju,

Grade 9