From playing guitar on massive stages like Lollapalooza to disappearing for months into the hush of the jungle — Apurv Isaac is a man who knows how to follow his curiosity. Little did he realise, however, that it would lead him to tracking big cats. The 30-year-old guitarist of the band The Family Cheese has worked with names like Vir Das on his band Alien Chutney, Kamakshi Khanna and even the Colonial Cousins. But as we do this interview, he speaks to us over the phone while ‘camera trapping’ in the tea estates of the Nilgiris, a technique wildlife photographers use to camouflage their lenses, sometimes for months at a time, in order to capture that perfect shot.
Since the pandemic in 2020 slowed down music gigs, he got the opportunity to spend some time in the Nilgiris, and inspired by sightings of sloth bears and tigers, began treading new artistic terrain, as a photographer... and then shortly after, set up Lala Wildlife, where he curates safari tours. In just a couple of years, Apurv has photographed an impressive 159 individual tigers (some multiple times) and 94 individual leopards, showcasing them to a fast growing audience of over 106K followers on his Instagram. Ahead of International Tiger Day (July 29), we ask him for a glimpse into his world and find ourselves learning lingo around pug marks, alarm calls and marking territory.
Excerpts:
How did you navigate this identity shift from musician to wildlife tour guide and photographer?The pandemic brought my ridiculously hectic touring musician life to a very abrupt and indefinite standstill. With all my foreseeable gigs cancelled and with the pandemic taking a toll on my mental health, a few friends of mine very kindly took me along with their family to the Nilgiris. Whilst here, I started seeing some amazing birds that would fly up to the trees outside my window. I had no idea what they were called but they were all so beautiful that I had to find out more about them. Soon after that I realised that there were leopards and sloth bears around as well!
I had never really picked up a camera seriously before August of 2020 but with all the lovely birds and animals around, I figured I needed to photograph what I saw so that I could look up what species they were and learn more about them. I’ve always maintained that my first and true love when it comes to wildlife is to track and observe the animals, the photography has always been a by-product.
Towards the end of the year of 2020, I decided to dive deeper into the natural world because of how much it had healed me and also it made me understand how little I’ve seen of this incredible country and its natural wonders. I love sharing in the joy of exploring the natural world which led me to putting together a company where I now take people on safari with me across the country to look for big cats, snakes and frogs and birds!
How do you track tigers? Is there a method, a calendar for the year, or a way you receive tips about where, when and the best time...
Tracking big cats is honestly the most exhilarating part of what I do. I suppose being a musician does help because I end up using my ears a lot, constantly listening for the alarm call of different animals. Alarm calls are sounded out by deer, monkeys and sometimes even birds to signal to their kin and the rest of the jungle that a predator has been spotted and is on the move. (More in the tip section below)
Insider tips
Pug marks are a great way to know which way a cat is headed.
The knowledge of the drivers and guides of each forest is also invaluable in these situations; they know each and every crossing point of each individual as the cats tend to stick to the same route as they mark their territories.
The change of seasons plays an interesting role in the behaviour of the big cats. In the summer, they tend to lay in or close to the waterholes in the forest, which increases your chances of seeing them. In the winter, they’re a lot more active as they don’t have to deal with the harsh heat. So you might find them marking their
territory, hunting or if you’re lucky, even mating.
In the monsoon, tigers need to make sure to mark their territories, often because the rains wash away their scent, but they are a little trickier to spot because of the dense overgrowth. However, big cats like to stick to the forest trails as they wouldn’t have to deal with thorns and stones that could hurt their paws.
You are on a mission to impact conservation as well. Tell us more.
I am working on a few projects which include photography and filmmaking to shine a light on the plights of wildlife and the communities that live around our forests and national parks.
Apart from this I’m working on another project with the aid of camera trapping. I’d like to show that coexistence is not only possible, but thriving with very little need for our intervention.
As long as we stick to our paths and allow the space and respect for the wildlife to stick to theirs, human-wildlife interactions can be limited.
Having said that, the fragmentation and conversion of forest lands into agricultural or development projects is a real threat to both man and animal and this needs to be addressed at a policy level, hopefully this will happen when more people know the ground realities and what’s at stake.
Your photographs are stunning. What is your creative process while in the jungle?
If you’re lucky enough to spot a big cat, the first thing you’d need to get in check is the rush of adrenaline. When it comes to wildlife, each and every second counts and there are moments that if you miss once, you’re likely to never see again. So once you’ve been able to get your adrenaline and the staggering odds against you under control, which honestly takes a lot of time, you can focus on your angles to take your photographs. Apart from this, a little knowledge and understanding of animal behaviour goes a long way in anticipating what the animal may do next. That makes for some memorable photographs.
How do you approach capturing the intimate moments and behaviours of tigers without disturbing their natural rhythm?
Body language is universal and one has to be very sensitive to the cues that the animals are displaying, at all times. Tigers are no different and they are almost always letting you know if they’re comfortable with your presence or not. I like to give the tigers a lot of space to go about their routine, as I merely want to observe them display their natural behaviour with me as a fly on the wall.
Moreover tigers have distinct, unique personalities; some may allow you to get a little closer than others. Once we get to know the boundaries of each individual, it enables me to anticipate what their next move may be, which really helps us get in the best viewing position. Having said this, if a tiger really doesn’t want to be seen, you just won’t see it. For every one tiger that you see, there’s been five that have seen you!
And how do you stay safe?
Safaris in the jungle are very safe. We’re not allowed to get out of our vehicle except at designated areas whilst in the National park. Moreover if you maintain a good, safe distance from the wildlife while respecting their boundaries by not making too much noise, they’ll go about their routine and they don’t pay too much attention to your presence.
Which is the most memorable encounter that comes to mind...
Honestly, each and every sighting has left its own unique impression on me, but my first sighting in Kanha National Park stands out from the rest.
It was my first ever safari in Kanha and I was awestruck by how beautiful the forest was. It was a quiet winter evening and nothing really stirred, I came across some wild boar, Sambar, Chital and Langur. These are animals that usually one expects to see whilst traversing the forest roads, yet I was elated. Kanha is just that stunning!
Eventually it was time for us to make our way out of the park and my guide and driver were quite upset that we didn’t see any cats, they sat back in their seats dejected. As we made our way back, I suddenly heard a very loud Sambar call pierce the silent forest. I asked the driver to stop our car, he indicated that we didn’t have enough time. Silence. I wasn’t sure whether I had misheard a creak of the car for an alarm call and just as I was about to give up, another loud call blew out, followed by another and then another, we all stood up in anticipation and then out came a tigress clutching a sambar fawn in her mouth.
I couldn’t believe my eyes! This gorgeous tigress crossed the stream that was in between us, walked towards my car and then crossed the road and vanished into the jungle.
Every time I think about this sighting, I get goosebumps!
How has this journey influenced or evolved you as a person?
Honestly, there’s nothing more humbling than immersing oneself in the natural world. Patience and learning how to deal with rejection have been the two big takeaways. There have been times when I’ve done everything right, tracked and followed all the signals, but if the animal just doesn’t want to show up, you have to learn to accept that. I don’t think I’d be as invested in this life if everything came easy!
To that wide-eyed youngster going on his or her very first safari, hoping to catch a glimpse of a majestic tiger - what is the first thing you would say?
Be patient, be humble and honestly, the jungle is so much more than just the tiger. So enjoy everything that the natural world has to offer and if luck is on your side, you may see some big cats as well!