The heart-wrenching story of Punch, the Japanese baby monkey abandoned by his mother, who struggled to make friends at the Okinawa Zoo, led to a massive movement across social media around the important issue of wildlife preservation. On World Wildlife Day today, actor Malavika Mohanan echoes the sentiment. “We need to be spectators, not intruders in our shared world,” she tells us.
As an avid wildlife photographer, she adds that restraint is important: “The most important lesson is patience. You can’t approach wildlife with entitlement. If you’re truly in the wild, you have to respect that.”
For the 32-year-old, this came from her own lived experience. “Photography started as a very personal journey in 2019. When I’m working on sets, I’m around 300 to 400 people on average. So whenever I get time off, it is meditative to go into a forest; no people, just calm,” she says.
Over the years, she has captured wildlife in Serengeti National Park (Tanzania), Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan), and Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra): “For 12 hours, you’re just in the wild, seeing it in its most primal form. You’ll see what you see — it all depends on luck. You can never predict what you’ll find, that’s the beauty of it.”
She adds, “Over the years, wildlife photography became something I grew very passionate about. It’s very different from my work life, and that’s what makes it special.” Last August, Malavika travelled to Serengeti National Park (Tanzania) to witness the Great Migration, an experience long on her bucket list. “It was a beautiful experience, truly very special, watching vast herds traverse forests and rivers across the African plains.”
Among her most memorable sightings was a mother cheetah with her cubs, a moment she describes as “wholesome” and humbling. “Wildlife teaches you patience. You can’t approach it with entitlement. If you’re truly in the wild, you have to respect that.” Spotting a snow leopard in the Himalayas, she adds, remains high on her list.
Beyond rare encounters, Mohanan believes time in nature has reshaped her outlook. Living in Mumbai, she says, makes it essential to disconnect from the urban rush and reconnect with the natural world. “The more I grow up, the more I realise how crucial that connection is. It impacts your mental health and your overall balance,” she signs off.