In December, we joined hands with Sanctuary Asia to shine the light on some of our most neglected and misused habitats, such as deserts and grasslands, and the species that make them their home.
The theme for the second Fortnight Focus challenge of December – Deserts – saw an overwhelming amount of entries from the community.
The winner takes home a Shutterbug Pro camera bag from Wildcraft and exclusive goodies from NiF.
A big shout-out to everyone who contributed, and a definitive invitation to those who haven't yet to join in for the next.
Tarunjyoti Tewari
Extinction
The Desert National Park is an excellent example of the ecosystem of the Thar Desert, with sand dunes making up about 20% of the park. It is also home to one of the most endangered birds in the world today, the Great Indian Bustard.
Ganesh Jayaraman
The Last Hope
The Great Indian Bustard was once in the race for becoming the National Bird of India, and now the species is fighting for survival. With less than 150 birds in the wild, their survival seems almost impossible.
Shweta Chavda
Solo
A lone Indian Gazelle, or Chinkara, stands atop a sand dune at the Desert National Park in Rajasthan.
Ashutosh Ganage
The Elusive Feline
This rare feline of the Thar desert, the Desert Cat, was pictured while out hunting in Bikaner, Rajasthan.
Sambath Subbaiah
Blink Game
An Indian Wolf is seen stretching and limbering up as he stares back into the camera at the Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
Vipin Sharma
The Arabs
The Arabian Red Fox is a subspecies of the Red Fox, native to Arabia, specifically Dhofar and the Al Hajar Mountains in Oman.
Manish Vaidya
The Survivor
The Desert Fox is a solitary carnivore that can survive and thrive in the most barren habitats. This remote camera image was made in the Rann of Kutch.
Tapan Sheth
Life Under Wheels
A Desert Fox pup pops its head out of its den near a road to a salt pan in the Little Rann of Kutch.
Zubin Ashara
The Lesser Known
A threatened but poorly understood species, the Striped Hyena is a carnivore found in human-dominated landscapes in Rajasthan.
Dinesh Khunt
Under the Rann Sun
An Indian Wild Ass and its calf are seen grazing under the sweltering heat in the Rann of Kutch.
Anand Nambiar
The Winter Visitor
A juvenile Imperial Eagle is pictured against the stark backdrop of the Littel Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
Sandip Patel
Yellow
A Short-eared Owl watches with it big yellow eyes, at the Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.
Arpan Saha
"The Fastest Bird Alive!"
The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest member of the animal kingdom, with its characteristic high-speed dive reaching a speed of 200 mph.
Hira Punjabi
I Fly Fast Too!
The Eurasian Hobby is a slim fast-flying falcon that hunts in the air, catching dragonflies and other small birds. A winter migrant, this image was taken in the Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
Indranil Basu Mallick
A Crane Evening
A flock of Common Cranes is pictured against the golden hues of the setting sun at the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
Vishal Varma
The Snout
The Sind Awl-headed Snake is easily identified by its pointed snout. It is an oviparous species of snake that is endemic to the Thar deserts of India and Pakistan.
Centhil Kumar
On a Platter
An Indian Long-eared Hedgehog is spoiled for choice for its next meal, at the Thar Desert.
