Padma Bhushan awardee Dr Ramakanta Panda, who also established the Asian Heart Insitute in Mumbai, is a wildlife enthusiast. Here are a few of his clicks.

1. Golden-fronted green leafbird The shot was captured within the scenic Karnala Bird Sanctuary in Panvel. “The sanctuary houses over 222 bird species, of which 160 are resident birds. This makes this sanctuary a popular and vibrant site for bird-watching.”

2. The big cat “Kanha stands as a pinnacle in effective tiger conservation within the nation,” points out Dr Ramakanta. The tiger census of 2022 revealed a rise in the population of the beast from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,167.

3. The lions of the Mara Masai Mara is touted as a photographer’s paradise and rightly so. This picture was taken during the ‘grand migration’, which starts around July and sees over 1.5 million wildebeest arriving at the Mara from Tanzania’s Serengeti.

4. The white-bellied sea eagle “The Bhitarkanika National Park is celebrated as one of the nation’s finest mangrove forests. It lies along the Odisha coast and provides an invaluable habitat for various species,” he shares.

5. The spotted cat This is an example of ‘hide photography’. “The unique setup places photographers in underground bunkers at water level, affording silent and intimate shots of animals as they approach the water source.”

6. The spotted owlet Dr Ramakanta has frequented the reserve numerous times for bird watching and shares one of his clicks of the coveted spotted owlet. An adult of the species is around 21 cm in size, and they are most abundant during the breeding season which spans January through April.

7. Lion cubs “Captured in a moment of solitude, these sisters who are just a few months old, were left to explore on their own while their mothers were away hunting,” shares Dr Ramakanta. This enchanting shot encapsulates the essence of a tranquil African morning.

8. Dawn Dr Ramakanta shares, “The tranquil beauty of a sunrise envelops a seagull in this photograph, taken at Mumbai’s DPS lake.”

9. Black-winged kite Against the backdrop of Tal Chhapar — a sanctuary in Rajasthan — a black-winged kite soars into the sky. Dr Ramakanta explains that this “barren land” has been transformed over the years into a vibrant grassland with over 5,000 blackbucks and various birds.

10. The peacock “I departed from the conventional perspective to capture the peacock’s rear view during its captivating dance,” the heart surgeon shares. “The idea behind doing this was to draw attention to the peacock’s symmetry, vibrant colours, and the unique charm of its intricate display.”