Rannvijay Singha: Rescued hump-nosed viper during night safari

Rannvijay Singha

If Rannvijay Singha had his way, he would keep travelling to different parts of the country, exploring the diverse landscape on offer - from mountains to beaches, from deserts to backwaters. In a way, Safari India is his dream come true. The show has taken him to seven national parks across the country as he discovers the rich wildlife of India, one jungle at a time. Over to Singha as he recounts the experience of a lifetime:

What convinced you to come on board this show?
I got a call from the makers, saying they want to do a show that encompasses seven wildlife safaris in India. But [the job] was not about sitting in a vehicle and spotting animals. It involved interacting with the locals, forest officers, tribals, villagers, naturalists, and people who have dedicated their life [to forests]. It was the journey [that drew me]. We shot Safari India over 28 days across seven different wildlife parks - Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, Kaziranga National Park in Assam, Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh, Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, Gir National Park in Gujarat, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa and Dubare Elephant Camp in Karnataka.

Rannvijay at the safari in Arunachal Pradesh

Did years of being part of an adventure reality show help in navigating this show?
My father was in the army, so I went to nine different schools. I have seen a different side of India that normal civilians don't get to. I was a sportsman in school and college, and would go to tournaments in different parts of the country. I was always travelling; that's how I was chosen to go on a particular adventure reality show [Roadies]. Although I have been to Jim Corbett and Kaziranga before, I had an immersive experience this time. Geographically, India is the most blessed country because we have [it all] - the Himalayas, beaches, backwaters, deserts, and rain forests. India is also an economical place for tourists. The show is a step to encourage more people to come to India not only for its traditions and historical places, but also for the wildlife.

There are constant reports about forest depletion and scarcity of wildlife. Do you think India has improved in wildlife conservation?
There is a perception that forests are getting cut down since that is what we grew up learning. Kaziranga is prone to floods, which often results in deforestation and loss of animals. I met some senior officers in Kaziranga, who claim that if the place doesn't flood, the ecosystem will go haywire in the next few years. The animals depend on the wetlands and vegetation. The floods are a natural selection process for the fittest to survive. The forest that was only 432 sq km before, has grown to 1300 sq km. Poaching cases of rhinos have gone down to one incident in the last year after the government became proactive. There were only 12 to 18 Asiatic lions in the Gir forest initially, and as per the last census in 2020, we now have 674. Things have improved in the last 15 years.

The trips must have been filled with memorable moments.
Some moments stand out because they are more physical than others. We spotted two bear cubs in the rewilding camp, deep in the jungle. One of the female cubs, Kaali, hugged my leg. It was emotional. We spotted the hump-nosed viper in Goa, which is something you don't see in the winters. We saw it on the road during a night safari, and rescued it. On my first day in Jim Corbett, I clicked a picture of a baby elephant playing in the mud with its mum and dad. Usually, you would have to wait 60 odd days to get the perfect picture.