Exhibition to commemorate 50 years of Project Tiger in Bengaluru

The Karnataka forest department and retired additional principal chief conservator of forests MN Jayakumar will jointly organise an exhibition titled 'Encounters in the Wild 2.0' to commemorate 50 years of Project Tiger.

Minister for forests Eshwar Khandre will inaugurate the exhibition on Thursday at Chitrakala Parishat in Bengaluru.

The exhibition, eagerly awaited by nature lovers, will showcase captivating visual journey across the jungles of India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and America.

Besides commemorating the golden jubilee of Project Tiger, the wildlife photography exhibition will also celebrate the diversity of wildlife and nature from across the globe, and will feature 231 photographs.

In addition to the photo exhibition, there will be free talks and presentations every evening (5.30-7.30 pm) by experts in the fields of wildlife conservation, photography, and filmmaking who will share their experiences with the audience.

Entry to the 11-day exhibition is free for all.

Earlier this month, the forest department conducted a statewide photography competition with ‘Biodiversity of Karnataka’ as the theme. Of all the entries received, 40 of the best images will be displayed in Chitrakala Parishath’s D Devaraj Urs gallery during the exhibition period.

Jayakumar said, “Through Encounters in the Wild 2.0, we aim to transport visitors into the heart of the wild, showcasing the beauty of our natural world while paying homage to the invaluable legacy of Project Tiger. Visitors can scan the QR code for each photo and get more information about the photo, including some fun facts. For those who are visually impaired or would prefer to listen to the information, they can plug in their headphones for an audio narration. This exhibition is not just a celebration but a call to action, urging us to be stewards of our planet's biodiversity and protect our apex predators and their habitats.”

Rajiv Ranjan, principal chief conservator of forests and head of forest force, said: “The Karnataka forest department has always been proactive in involving all stakeholders for creating awareness about conservation of forest of the state. 'Project Tiger has been a grand success in Karnataka and now the state is bestowed with 563 tigers, the second highest in the country. Karnataka is at the forefront of the preservation and conservation of the critical wildlife habitat of the Western Ghats, which is a biodiversity hotspot.”