WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO INDIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v2.i2.2021.5152Keywords:
Photography, Image, Observation, Wildlife, ConservationAbstract [English]
Photography has been a source of hope and expectation among scientists. It is considered a unique medium that has opened novel scientific observations and experimentation possibilities. Capturing the changes and details repeatedly through the camera's lens forms a remarkable scientific research tool. It allows one to document the most important characteristics of any living animal and its actions. The most powerful tool for documenting biodiversity is photography. The images taken of animals or 'life', in other words, serve as the' voucher', and this virtual specimen, to a certain extent, is more valuable than the whole organism. It conquers the degradation effects of preservation. Nature, wildlife and underwater photography inspire conservation. Wildlife photography has emerged as a critical tool in promoting biodiversity conservation, particularly in megadiverse nations like India. This paper explores its role in raising environmental awareness, influencing conservation policy, supporting scientific research, and fostering public stewardship. This paper also discusses a few case studies from India, which show the power of wildlife photography's transformative potential. The paper argues for its formal recognition as a strategic conservation tool and recommends collaboration among scientists, photographers, policymakers, and communities.
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