Dive into these unique books on Indian wildlife by Valmik Thapar and Sunjoy Monga

(Left) A tiger mural (right) an artist at work at the Sawai Madhopur station, an initiative started by Thapar. Pics Courtesy/Sanjna Kapoor

Valmik Thapar

Land of the Tigers: A Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent: Published in 1997, conservationist and writer Valmik Thapar's book observes the relative newness of the wildlife legislation in India. Despite the environmental pressures such as wildlife abuse, the diverse flora and fauna in India have survived.

Valmik Thapar

Thapar discovers the answer for this conundrum in the relationship between nature and humans, and the reverence accorded to the former as a result of our faith and beliefs. We travel with the expert as he acquaints us with the natural history of various corners of the subcontinent - from the Himalayas to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, Lakshadweep, and further up to the Gulf of Gujarat and Pakistan.

Living with Tigers: Essential reading for those keen to familiarise themselves with the tiger expert's work, this is Thapar's story of observing tigers in Ranthambhore for 40 years. Here we meet Padmini, Genghis, Machli, Broken Tooth and many other big cats whom he studied. Thapar illuminates us with fascinating facts about them. For instance, we learn that Genghis was the first tiger in the world to have mastered the art of killing sambars in water. We also learn about the dying practice of naming tigers, now replaced by numbers (T24, T17, etc.)

Indian Wildlife Trilogy: This trilogy consists of an anthology on tigers called Tiger Fire, a compilation on birds called Winged Fire, and another on the rest of the animal kingdom called Wild Fire. In addition to Thapar's detailed writings, these books include a selection of photographs and writings from naturalists spanning across centuries - from Babur and Akbar's first encounters with the wildlife to accounts by doyens such as Jim Corbett, Salim Ali, Khushwant Singh, Jaisal and Anjali Singh, K Ulhas Karanth, among others.

Sunjoy Monga

City Forest: Mumbai's National Park: Mumbai's ‘bird man', wildlife photographer, and naturalist Sunjoy Monga brings to us 200 photographs of the wildlife in the city. He acknowledges how the city's location and bio-geographical position allow for natural habitats of several species from the plant and animal kingdom to exist. Moreover, he examines the ways in which people interfere with this balance, causing degradation to the city's national park.

Sunjoy Monga. PIC COURTESY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Birds of Mumbai: Monga's book is one of the earliest compilations of the birds in the city. Featuring over 350 species, including both resident and migratory birds, this is a crucial handbook for birdwatchers. He classifies our feather friends based on their habitats: wetlands, forests, grass and scrub, and urban areas. With Carl D Silva's illustrations, Monga provides interesting facts about them, such as their habits, distinct calls, size, status, and descriptions of their plumage.

Journey through India's Last Wild Places: For over 18 months, Monga travelled across the country, tracing what he calls ‘the last wild places'. These include forests, islands, coasts, deserts, grasslands, etc. One cannot create anymore, he observes. We're introduced to a variety of animals, plants, and landscapes, from the snow leopards of the Trans-Himalayan region to the gaurs of the western ghats. Monga backs his images and text with accounts from experts, and presses on the need for us to understand the importance of every bit of the natural world, not just the major players.

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