Meet Prasenjeet Yadav, who created hory capturing rare black tiger of Similipal: ‘It happened on the 119th day’ | Lifestyle News

The striking black tiger that graces the October 2025 cover of National Geographic was captured Indian photographer and former molecular ecolog Prasenjeet Yadav in a rare and unprecedented achievement. His 120-day pursuit in Odisha’s Similipal brought the world’s attention to a tiger unseen for centuries, marking the first time in the magazine’s hory that an Indian story has been written, photographed, and featured on the cover an Indian.For Yadav, it is an “overwhelming feeling to see his work travel to millions of readers across 170 countries”. In an interview with , he spoke about the journey that took him from research labs to the wild—and finally to the cover of the magazine.
Q. Did you expect this picture, in particular, to receive this much recognition and reach the level it has?
Prasenjeet Yadav: Not at all. I knew the day I got the picture that it was special. I shared it with my editors and a few close friends who understand photography better than I do, and everyone said, “This is it.”
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It happened on the 119th day — I had spent 120 days in the field, and on the second-last day, I captured this shot. I knew it would be special, but over time, it continued to take steps upward on its own.
I never imagined it would appear on the cover of National Geographic. That itself is a testament not only to the picture’s beauty but also to the importance of the story — of the black tigers, the scients, and the forest managers working to understand why they are black and how to address the issues linked to it.
This picture represents far more than a visual of a black tiger — it embodies the collective effort of science and conservation. It also shows that what’s happening in India could serve as a model for the world — how we identify a problem and use science to solve it.
Q. You come from a background in research and science. What made you bring photography into the picture — literally — and merge the two worlds?
Prasenjeet Yadav: I grew up around wildlife, and it’s always been an integral part of my life. My curiosity about nature led me towards research. I studied molecular ecology at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bengaluru, a TIFR institute.Story continues below this ad
While doing research, I realised that, as much as I enjoy science, I love sharing science stories even more. Scientific language can often be inaccessible to the wider public. I wanted to bridge that gap — to simplify complex ideas and communicate them visually.
Photography began as a hob, evolved into a passion, then a profession, and is now an obsession. I knew it would be my medium for communicating science to the world.
Q. Do you remember the first time you felt your photography could contribute meaningfully to scientific conversations?
Prasenjeet Yadav: Yes, there are two moments that stand out. The first was when I returned from a project with a photo story that visually explained a published scientific paper. My professors — pure academics — looked at it and said, “This is pretty cool. You’re telling science stories through pictures.” This was back in 2012–13, when visual science communication wasn’t common in India. That’s when I realised this could be my niche.
The second was during a project in the Western Ghats, studying how mountains influence species formation. We organised an event with the forest department, showcasing photos and explaining the science behind them. Afterwards, an elderly lady told me, “We knew these birds lived in our backyard, but we never knew they lived only here.” That moment — of connecting people, species, and land — was incredibly powerful. Photography can create that bond.

Q. What inspired you to choose black tigers as a subject? They’re usually overlooked — was there an incident or person that influenced your choice?
Prasenjeet Yadav: I’d wanted to tell the story of black tigers for almost a decade, ever since I first heard about them in 2013–14. At that time, very little was known. In 2018, the Odisha Forest Department collaborated with Dr Uma Ramakrishnan from NCBS to understand why these tigers are black. I was friends with the researchers and could relate to their molecular biology work.Story continues below this ad
When they discovered the genetic and ecological reasons behind the black coat, I knew the story was ready to be told. But it took years to pitch, raise funds, get permits, and build trust before I could begin fieldwork through 2023–24. Finally, it all came together.
Q. Since not everyone knows why these tigers are black, could you explain the science behind it?
Prasenjeet Yadav: Scients from NCBS and the Odisha Forest Department found that the black coat results from a genetic mutation — like a spelling error in the DNA. This mutation transforms an orange tiger with black stripes into a black tiger with orange streaks.
Interestingly, this mutation is found only in tigers from Similipal, indicating the population is genetically isolated. To boost diversity, tigers have been translocated from Tadoba and Dari Tiger Reserves to Similipal.
So, it’s not just the story of a rare tiger — it’s about how science and conservation management worked hand in hand to prevent a potential crisis before it escalated.Story continues below this ad
Q. Collaboration seems central to your work. Can you share an example of how collaborating with researchers and policymakers influenced your storytelling?
Prasenjeet Yadav: Almost all my stories are collaborative. I’m just the vessel — the real story lies in the work of scients and conservations. They spend years unravelling nature’s mysteries, while managers and forest departments dedicate decades to protecting ecosystems. My job is to observe, ask the right questions, document the process, and tell their stories to the world.
The rare black tigers are found in Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve. (Photo: Instagram/prasen.yadav)
Q. Photography requires immense patience — especially when dealing with elusive species. How do patience and persence play into your work?
Prasenjeet Yadav: Patience is vital — but so is persence. You go into every story knowing it will be hard. These tigers are extremely shy, unlike those in Ranthambore or Bandhavgarh. Traditional safaris wouldn’t work. We had long discussions with National Geographic editors and decided to experiment with camera trapping.
We set up a studio-like camera system in the forest with infrared triggers to automatically capture movement. I was lucky enough to see one in person and photograph it on the 119th day. It’s all about trusting the process — and the forest.
Q. Have you ever witnessed a tangible policy shift or decision influenced your work?
Prasenjeet Yadav: These stories take time — the impact is gradual. It’s more about shifting perceptions among communities, visitors, and policymakers. Over time, those small shifts shape policy. It’s rare to see a direct outcome, but every story adds to that larger change.Story continues below this ad
Q. What are the biggest challenges in making ecological stories accessible without oversimplifying them?
Prasenjeet Yadav: That’s something I think about constantly. It’s not easy to simplify a complex subject without diluting it. Each story brings unique challenges — whether it’s about plants, frogs, birds, or tigers. The key is to make people care. If you can spark curiosity, they’ll make the effort to learn more. Once that happens, half the job is done.