We caught up with our friend Surya Ramachandran: Indian naturalist, author, big-cat tracker, and awesome guy.

Highlights of our chat include:

• Home patch leopards: Surya’s Nilgiri backyard hosts a multigenerational family of both black and rosetted leopards that he's watched closely for years
• Snow-leopard obsession: why eight straight winters in Ladakh still haven’t dulled the thrill of the ghost of the Himalayas
• King-cobra lore: nest-building serpents, roadside rescues, and the eerie pressure-cooker hiss they can emit
• Himalayan lowland magic: the diversity of Assam’s Kaziranga–Manas–Nameri circuit—and why March should be peak time for Bengal floricans, Finn’s weavers, and maybe even tiger...
• Life List tour: details on the 2026 Life List Assam Safari, with optional Taj Mahal/Bharatpur pre-trip and Kanha tiger post-extension
• Field-guide series update: Surya’s next book covers India’s deserts, salt pans, and forests of Western India

Come for the leopard cubs and king-cobra growls...stay for the tips on getting to see the best of India's birds and animals!

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