Rewind: Desert Dancer — Enduring grace of the Chinkara

In a world where wilderness is shrinking, India’s gazelle stands as a quiet symbol of resilience, and a reminder that even the deserts are full of life worth preserving

By N Shiva Kumar

Dainty, delicate, and adorable, the chinkara is one of the smallest antelopes in the world, yet it moves with astonishing grace and agility. Sighting one at close quarters is a rare privilege, as these shy and wary creatures keep a safe distance from humans. Once hunted by people and pursued by natural predators such as leopards, wolves, and jackals, the chinkara now faces a far more relentless enemy, the feral dogs. Unruly and uncouth in their hunting ways, the ferocious feral dogs pose a grave threat to free-ranging wildlife across India’s open landscapes.

In the wavering shimmer of India’s desert heat