Up close and personal in the woods; Kerala computer engineer turned beat officer known for pics from wild

When Bismi Wills, a computer engineer hailing from Parassala, Thiruvananthapuram, found her name on the rank list of Kerala Forest Beat officer, she took up the job simply because she had cleared the exam. Seven years on, she goes for routine treks to forests with a bottle of water, patrol app, a coat, an umbrella and a camera kit. Bismi's telling images from the heart of the forest in the past few years have become testaments to nature and wildlife conservation endeavours of the Kerala Forest department. 

She admits that being a forest officer was the last thing on her mind. “I took up the job because my name appeared on the list, not out of any particular passion for it,” Bismi, currently posted at Vallakkadavu range in Kottayam, said. But when Range Officer Priya T Joseph told her that to move forward in the field, one must develop or follow a passion, Bismi took those words to heart. Now, when she finds herself just 250 metres away from an angry herd of elephants, as happened once in Aanamutty, with nowhere to escape, her heart still yearns for the perfect click.

“After my training, when I joined the Pampa Range, I began collecting leaves during field duty to identify different trees. But because information was hard to find, I shifted my focus to butterflies. During my patrols through the forest, I started identifying various species and collecting data about them. I used an app for reference, but to distinguish smaller varieties, I needed to take pictures. Since my phone was too old, I bought my first digital camera,” Bismi said.

Things took a wilder turn when she was transferred from Pampa to Vallakkadavu. “Unlike Pampa, Vallakkadavu was full of elephants, sambar deer, and other wild animals. But my interest only grew stronger. Along with Vishnu, a forest watcher and experienced wildlife photographer, we would trek uphill in search of animals to photograph. We could catch the smell of elephants, trace their route and position ourselves about 250 metres away to take photos without being noticed. Vishnu taught me so much about the forest, how to position myself depending on wind direction so animals wouldn’t catch my scent, and how to adjust the frame for a good photograph,” she said.

“Whenever my duty chart mentions a field visit, I feel genuinely excited, knowing I might encounter animals and capture them on camera. On days I can’t spot any, I feel disappointed. Once, at Kozhikanam landing, I recorded a wild dog attacking a boar across a rivulet with my digital camera. Though Vishnu captured it on his DSLR with better clarity, I was thrilled to have caught it myself,” she added.

On another occasion, she saw the silhouette of a wild tusker. "Since I was only able to capture females, I was excited to notice a tusker. My colleague and I quickly climbed uphill, only to find around 25 elephants together. My heart was thumping at the sight. To get a better view, we climbed higher and watched them feeding, fighting, and showing affection,  all just a few metres away. I couldn’t fit them all into one frame, but the sight was incredible,” she said.

Not all endeavours are successful, though. "I have come back disappointed multiple times. I once waited from morning till afternoon at Vanjivayal to photograph the great hornbill near its nest, but it never showed up, probably because it sensed my presence. Sometimes, you get a beautiful shot by chance, but often, you need to wait patiently for hours in the same spot and still come back empty-handed,” she said.

It has only been a year since she bought her DSLR and actively started photographing wildlife, but the experiences have been unforgettable for Bismi. “Now my greatest wish is to see a tiger. I’ve chased after them many times but never succeeded. Once, while walking and talking with a watcher, we heard a tiger’s roar. He saw its tail disappearing, and we ran after it, but tigers are shy and usually avoid humans.”

Bismi said that more women are joining the Forest Department out of their genuine love for nature and wildlife. "For those who may not feel that connection yet, I’d say, find what truly excites you. Many of us have hidden talents buried deep within. It’s important to bring them to life again. Society often confines women within rigid norms. It’s important to break free, chase your dreams, and keep your spark alive,” she said.

Bismi, took up a government job with the support of her husband, Dinahar S, a technical engineer in Puduchery. She had made it to the rank lists of ASI, University Assistant and LD clerk. "Once my training began at the Forest department, I haven't thought of any other field," said Bismi.