The Natural World

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The Natural World

The name's Rohail and I'm an amateur wildlife photographer. Follow along on my journey to learn more about the beauty all around us! Catharines, Canada.

I've always had a deep love for our planet and have made it my personal mission to share that love through my work. My name is Rohail Akbar, I'm 24 years old and living in St. From a young age, I have loved Nature and Animals due to being exposed to it a lot. I love any form of nature whether desert or rainforest. I have lived in Dubai, Canada and now Malaysia so I have experienced many types of e

nvironments. I recently have taken an interest in photography as it captures the amazing moments of nature that can be passed down to many generations. But if the world continues to head in the direction its going there will be no more of this beauty. I want to try and help and raise awareness of how extraordinary and unique wildlife is. The only way people can want to conserve something is if they really care about it.

03/06/2026

Highkey Blue-cheeked Bee-eater with an Arabian Paper Wasp
Nikon Z8 | Nikon Z 180-600

29/05/2026

ICM African Monarch Caterpillar
Nikon Z8 | Nikon Z 70-180

25/05/2026

Desertification

The impacts of the release of non-native species into environments aren’t always immediately obvious, but they can have severely detrimental long-term effects that ripple through not only the landscape, but everything that depends on it.

Such is the case with domestic goats in the Hajar Mountains. They quickly integrated into the environment in far greater numbers than the native and now endangered Arabian Tahr could compete with. Due to the harsh environmental conditions, domestic and feral goats overgrazed native plants, leading to desertification and leaving the Arabian Tahr with dwindling chances of survival. Natural predators of the Tahr, like the Arabian Caracal and wolves, also did not exclusively feed on Tahrs when livestock was readily available. However, these opportunistic predators were brought closer to areas of human activity, where they were viewed as threats, leading to trapping and killing that ultimately caused their extinction in the wild.

These ripple effects can be extremely harmful, and one of our greatest tools in combating them is education and advocacy. Giving people the knowledge to reflect on their actions allows them to make more informed decisions, while technology and social media now make that information more accessible than ever, helping spread awareness to wider audiences. On a positive note, captive breeding programs for the Arabian Tahr and native tree-planting initiatives offer a brighter future for repopulating and reintroducing these critical species back into their natural homes.
Nikon Z8 | Nikon Z 70-180

21/05/2026

Appreciating the ‘Ordinary’

In this day and age, where everything is hyper-sensationalized and larger than life, it’s important to acknowledge the beauty in all the things we’re programmed to write off as “boring” or “ordinary.” Familiarity has a way of making us overlook what’s actually extraordinary.

Social media trains us to enjoy and consume what’s already far too easy to love. In the context of nature and wildlife, I think it’s imperative, if you hold a genuine love for the field, to respect, value, and cherish the beauty and importance of the everyday species and environments that so often go unnoticed.

As a wildlife photographer, if you’re only interested in chasing and promoting stories of exotic species without documenting those at your front door, that’s a wasted opportunity.

Wildlife conservation isn’t just about appreciating the biggest and coolest animals, but everything before that too. It isn’t only about species that are already vulnerable or critically endangered. It’s about ensuring other species never reach that stage in the first place.

When I worked in healthcare, we often spoke about the importance of preventative medicine. In simpler terms, prevention is better than the cure. We shouldn’t have to wait until things reach a critical stage before deciding they’re worth caring about.

For those who may have lost it along the way, let this be your reminder.

And for those who intentionally hold bias toward what they deem worthy of appreciation, I encourage you to reevaluate your approach.
Nikon Z8 | Nikon Z 180-600

16/05/2026

Intimate African Crane Portrait

Really enjoyed the different colours, textures and shapes here. There is so much to appreciate about wildlife, and at every scale.
Nikon Z8 | Nikon Z 180-600

13/05/2026

City Nature Challenge Dubai 2026 Recap

City Nature Challenge (CNC) 2026 has wrapped up, and wow, what a blast it was. I’ve been eagerly awaiting the official results, and they’re finally here! While waiting for them, I often found myself reminiscing about the amazing experiences throughout the challenge, while also feeling enthusiastic and motivated about future nature-centered community events here in the UAE.

Although we meet new people every day, there was something different about these experiences. I met people from all kinds of backgrounds, professions, and upbringings, each with unique yet equally captivating stories about how they developed the same love and passion for nature.

Everyone’s excitement over every little find, no matter how common or insignificant it may seem to most people, brought so much life to every moment of the adventure. Watching those who were more knowledgeable and experienced in the field share their knowledge so passionately with the youth was like seeing inspiration take root in the hearts of the next generation.

I’d like to give a massive thanks to the CNC ambassadors for making this such an enriching experience, and a special thanks to the .ae team, especially for bringing together this crew of nature avengers. I truly hope this is the beginning of many more nature-inspired community events here in the UAE, because this challenge has only made me realize that we need so much more of this.

01/05/2026

Something simple
Nikon Z8 | Nikon Z 70-180

15/04/2026

I got a text from Arabella Willing asking if I’d be interested in joining a “dolphin dig-up.” She’d told me the story of this dolphin and dugong beach cast so many times that saying yes was a no-brainer.

I didn’t really know what to expect and had no plans to document the day. But like everything else that unfolded, it all seemed to fall perfectly into place. It was incredibly inspiring and heartwarming to see so many passionate, driven people from all walks of life come together for a shared purpose: marine mammal appreciation, understanding, and conservation.

There was so much happening at once, and while there was uncertainty about whether we’d find the dolphin, there was never any real hesitation or doubt that we’d make the most of the opportunity. No complaining, just a sense of harmony amidst the chaos, sharing our love for wildlife while covered in dirt and sand.

A reminder that you don’t need to be a scientist, biologist, ecologist, or any title really to care for the planet and leave a meaningful, positive impact.

Swipe through to uncover the full story.

09/04/2026

Brown-necked Raven
Nikon Z8 | Nikon 180-600

29/03/2026

Natual Artistry at every scale - African Crowned Crane Plumage
Nikon Z 180-600

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