Think You're a Cat Person? Meet Sandesh, Who Gets to Love Cats for a Living
Sandesh Kadur is an award-winning wildlife photojournalist, author & documentary filmmaker with perhaps the cutest, fluffy subjects you can find in the wild – cats. Not just the ones you’re thinking of, either. While lions, tigers and leopards are certainly a centrepiece of his work, Sandesh also sheds light on lesser known (and smaller) wild cats, like the elusive Pallas’s cat, which he affectionately calls “Garfield’s cousin”. Don’t worry – I'll save you the googling and insert a picture below (or you can see the real thing at the Calgary Zoo!).
““People know a lot about mostly the big cats—tigers, lions, leopards, cheetahs—but very few people know about the small cats, and that’s where the real stories are. If you thought getting a big cat was tough enough, try finding a small cat in a wilderness.””
In his 30-plus years of exploration, Kadur has learned many lessons about cats big and small and has yet to dispute their reputation for having brazen attitudes. It is growing up in India that inspired Kadur’s love of felines, and where he draws his attention to most. For Kadur, a typical day includes waking up early, heading to the jungle, and waiting for signs of life to start booming around him, whether that be rhinos chasing each other, or clouded leopard cubs awaking from their slumber.
““I typically wait for hours to catch just one creature on camera. It’s worth it though. Powerful images help us feel connected to nature. I strive through film to create that same connection for others.””
If you think you love cats, just wait until you find out about the ones you’ve never heard of. The smallest cat in the world? Catch a larger-than-life photograph of it at the Jack Singer Concert Hall this January 28 & 29 for Arts Commons Presents’ National Geographic Live presentation of Wild Cats Revealed.
