Vishal Subramanyan and Prakrit Jain, students at UC Berkeley, embarked on a mission to photograph the elusive Mount Lyell shrew, a species not captured on film before. Inspired by their coursework in mammalogy, they combined their unique photographic skills—Subramanyan focusing on larger wildlife, while Jain specializes in invertebrates—to explore this rare Californian mammal. The shrew, first collected in the early 1900s, has since been rarely documented, making their endeavor significant for wildlife conservation and photographic documentation. Their journey highlights the importance of collaboration in uncovering hidden aspects of California’s ecology.
"I was immediately fascinated," Jain said. The idea of photographing the rare Mount Lyell shrew sparked their academic and photographic journey.
Subramanyan, who has since graduated, is a wildlife conservation photographer. The Mount Lyell shrew offered him an opportunity to showcase his skills with a unique species.
Although the Mount Lyell shrew appears typical—small and brownish—it is one of California's rarest mammals, last documented decades ago.
Collaborating at UC Berkeley, Jain and Subramanyan aimed to capture images of a species whose rarity makes it a significant conservation subject.
Collection
[
|
...
]