India's rare Black Tiger debut on National Geographic Cover: Meet photographer Prasenjeet Yadav

For his October 2025 issue, National Geographic chose a breathtaking cover photo from India. This time, a rare black tiger from the Similipal National Park of Odisha, captured by Indian photographer Prasenjeet Yadav, came to the cover of the prestigious wildlife. India’s rare Black Tiger debut on National Geographic Cover The photo is not only visually striking, but also a labor of love and patience, which has made months of relentless effort, as Yadav has traced the big cat deep into the dense forests of Similipal. Unlike ordinary tigers, these black tigers, known as pseudo-melanistic tigers, fat, overlapping stripes that give them their unusual dark appearance. What makes the photo even more extraordinary is the ability of the photographer to detect the subject. Black tigers are found in Similipal only, and almost half of the 30 tigers in the reserve carry the unique genetic mutation responsible for their distinctive coat. Meet Prasenjeet Yadav Prasenjeet Yadav is a molecular ecologist who has become the national geographical photographer and explorer. He was a master’s degree in molecular biology and left research to use photography as a bridge between science and society, which sheds light on climate change in the Himalayas, the ecological impact of wind energy and species evolution in the Western Ghats. He is also the founder of the Initiative Shoot for Science. Talking about his recent performance, Yadav said in a statement: “Being in the forests of Similipal as a national geographical photographer and explorer was a true privilege. Tigers. A surprising conclusion for the success story: the story of a great male tiger with a rare genetic mutation, which was without access to a dollar population. The Honor farm Yadav under the selected group of Indian photographers whose work was recognized by the cover of the magazine in the 135-year-old glorious history.