Urban Wildlife

The animals around us

Hey friends,

Greetings from Haryana!

Once, I was driving around Bangalore at night when a white, ghostly figure zoomed past my windshield. 

I yelled and scared everyone in the car. My dad abruptly pressed the brakes, wondering what was wrong. Then they saw my expression, and they understood; I’d spotted an animal. This time, it was a barn owl right in the middle of Bangalore. 

I’ve seen a barn owl on very few occasions, so this impromptu sighting thrilled me to bits. It got me thinking about the wildlife that lives around us. 

An article of mine was recently published in the August issue of Sanctuary Asia magazine. It talks about bonnet macaques (a kind of monkey) outside Bangalore. The article cherishes the idea that there are animals all around us. We just need to go out in search of them.

My Instagram account has recently gained much recognition, so my messages are full of people asking me where to see cool wildlife. And my answer is always the same.

Start in your own backyard.

It’s easy to think that wildlife only lives in these exotic lands far from home. But there are animals in our cities, wherever you live. Why not start there? Think about it. 

One tip: start looking at the birds around you. You might spot migrants and birds that fly in from other parts of the globe. Bird migration is fascinating in its own right. If you want to read more about it, you can check out my article below. 

Postcard

I was in Wayanad a few months ago, and I found this gorgeous Malabar Vine Snake draped along a plant. I hope this shot captures its beauty and the way it blends in with the foliage.

When I’m at university, I don’t see many snakes, and that does take a small toll on me. So I was ecstatic to find this elegant snake, and I spent some time gushing over it, standing in the puttering rain. This species is definitely one of my favourites.

Favourite Quote

“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.” – Shannon Hale

Have a creative, wild and inspiring week!

If you’re new, welcome to The Owlet! My name is Ishan Shanavas, and I am an Artist, Photographer, Writer and Student of the Natural World.

Here I talk about my work, along with curating the most interesting ideas on the internet. I confine them to topics like Nature, Culture, Photography, and Art but often fall prey to other genres.

I would greatly appreciate it if you shared my newsletter and work with your friends. It really helps me out :)