Award-winning photographer and zoologist Axel Gomille has been exploring India for the past 25 years. His new book, Wild India, pays homage to the subcontinent's overwhelmingly spectacular natural heritage. From the tropical coast of southern India to the northern snow-capped mountains of the Himalayas, and from the Thar desert in the west to the rainforests in the northeast, India's enormous landmass, wide ranges of habitats and extreme landscapes ensure that its biodiversity is one of the richest on Earth.

Rainforest
The jungles of India are habitats for some of the most rare and exotic species of wildlife in the world. No animal symbolises Indian wildlife as strongly as the tiger. The tiger is considered to be the king of the jungle, and is the most powerful predator on the Indian subcontinent. Today, there are 50 tiger reserves covering a total area of over 70,000 square kilometres. Such major projects to conserve tigers and their habitats have benefited other jungles species."

Wild India by Axel Gomille
Tigers once ranged widely from Turkey across to the east coast of Russia. Over the past century, their numbers have been in serious decline as they lost the vast majority of their historic range, dropping from around 100,000 to some 3900 alive in the wild today, half of which are in India. This female, from the Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh, has contributed several litters to a population where each and every animal counts. Axel Gomille
Wild India by Axel Gomille
Tigers will usually find a shaded area in which to relax during the heat of the day, leaving hunting to be done at night. This tigress remains alert to her environment, following the movements of other animals. Axel Gomille
Wild India by Axel Gomille
A jungle often evokes an image of dense and overgrown vegetation, a hostile and impenetrable place. In fact, jungles are biodiversity hotspots. Plant growth depends n the amount of annual rainfall, creating rainforests in the northeast and in the Western Ghats, running parallel to the west coast of India, and monsoon forests, or seasonal tropical forests in central India. Axel Gomille
Wild India by Axel Gomille
The Indian giant squirrel, often found in Western Ghats, South India, is aptly named; it can reach to be the size of an average house cat. These large rodents are very agile climbers and with a jump span of up to six metres, they rarely leave the trees. Axel Gomille

Wetlands
Water is life – especially in dry environments or during the dry season, where wildlife depends on permanent water bodies to survive. It is no wonder that wetlands are magnets for wild animals who come to quench their thirst or to cool down. Wetlands boast a wide variety of residents. Crocodiles have ruled tropical rivers and lakes since time immemorial. In India, the marsh crocodile is the most common species, and can be found in bodies of freshwater across the country.

Wild India by Axel Gomille
Spotted deer cross a swamp at the Keoladeo National Park in eastern Rajasthan. While the adults are able to reach the ground and walk, the fawns are forced to swim. Any such commotion is of no bother to the birds, who know that these herbivores pose them no threat. Axel Gomille
Wild India by Axel Gomille
Nests of spot-billed pelicans cover the trees in the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Karnataka. Such a density of breeding pairs is living proof of the importance of the bird sanctuary and the habitat that it offers. Axel Gomille

Drylands
Most parts of India receive very little rain apart from during the monsoon season. After the rain has ended, the country starts to dry up until the onset of the next monsoon, forcing many creatures to cope with heat and a lack of water for a very extended period of time. The Thar desert dominates the northwest of India. It is a very dry region, with sand dunes surrounded by areas of semi-desert conditions.

Wild India by Axel Gomille
Unlike other bear species that live in colder parts of the world, sloth bears do not hibernate. Inhabiting warmer areas at lower elevations allows them to forage year-round. Cubs learn from their mother where to find rich food sources. Axel Gomille
Wild India by Axel Gomille
A female leopard watches from the entrance of a cave which she has used as a safe retreat for her family, in a remote region of Rajasthan. Axel Gomille
Wild India by Axel Gomille
A bonnet macaque and her infant keeping a look out for predators. Axel Gomille
Wild India by Axel Gomille
Demoiselle cranes are delicate birds with no means of defence. Their only way to avoid danger is to escape. Gathering in flocks is safer for them as they are more likely to detect danger and a single bird is less likely to be attacked. Axel Gomille
Wild India by Axel Gomille
The Little Rann of Kutch is a barren saltpan, and very dry for most of the year, receives only erratic rainfall but proves a safe retreat for animals who are able to cope with such conditions such as the Asiatic wild ass. Axel Gomille

Mountains
Some of India's most spectacular and diverse habitats are in the north, encompassing parts of the Himalayan ranges. From the forests at the foothills, to the icebound peaks and mountain lakes, the Himalayas provide a rich and varied habitat for the flora and fauna that inhabit the area. This is the realm of the magnificent and ghostly snow leopard, and getting a glimpse of this big cat is the holy grail of all wildlife watching in India.

Wild India by Axel Gomille
Few animals can cope with the harsh conditions found in the high Himalayas. The Himalayan blue sheep (opposite) is specially adapted to the cold mountain ranges, with its short dense coat and excellent camouflage. Axel Gomille

Crossroads
Nature and culture, man and wildlife; each are closely intertwined in India. This is why so much wildlife has survived to this day in a country with a higher density of human population than either in Great Britain or in Germany. The respect for all forms of life is deeply rooted in faith, practised in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. These religions have a profound influence on people's everyday life and on how they treat their fellow creatures. Many people are vegetarian, and most would not kill an animal for either fun or for sport. Tolerance towards wildlife is generally high, and many farmers accept that they will lose a little share of their crops to gazelles or deer.

Wild India by Axel Gomille
A leopard crosses a village road in Rajasthan. During the day these leopards seek shelter in rocky outcrops, but at night, they can venture into cultivated land and villages, finding easy prey such as goats, poultry, and even dogs. Axel Gomille
Wild India by Axel Gomille
Crossovers between nature and culture are a typical sight in India. The Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan sites some impressive ruins that are slowly being overrun by the surrounding vegetation. Here, a tigress has chosen the shady hall of an ancient ruin for her midday rest. Axel Gomille
Wild India by Axel Gomille
Cremation is not exclusive to humans in India. The body of this dead leopard is committed to the flames outside the Ranthambhore National Park. This not only prevents the potentially valuable fur and body parts from ending up in the wildlife trade, but is also a way of paying homage to the animal, especially as the belief in reincarnation is still widespread throughout India. Axel Gomille

Axel Gomille is an award-winning photographer and zoologist from Germany with a passion for Indian wildlife. He has worked as a biologist and field guide in the central Indian tiger reserves of Kanha and Bandhavgarh before going on to a career as a journalist and filmmaker, working for the German public television broadcaster ZDF specialising in topics on wildlife and conservation. His photographs have been published worldwide.

Wild India by Axel Gomille is published by Papadakis, RRP £30. Available online and from all good bookshops.

Wild India by Axel Gomille
Axel Gomille

In total, about 350 species of wild mammals, 540 species of reptiles, and 1200 species of birds have been recorded in India. Of the world's 37 species of wild cats, 14 of them occur in India – more than in any other country. By comparison, the entire African continent only has ten different species of wild cat.

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