Originally from Nepal, Butch Lama has been a Wildlife Naturalist in Bandhavgarh NP since 1990.  For 18 months, Butch was part of the team that assisted Nick Nichols and Roy Toft while they photographed Sita and her cubs for the December 1997 cover story of National Geographic.  Other photographers, filmmakers, artists, dignitaries, and countless tourists would soon follow.  Until National Geographic highlighted ßandhavgarh’s tigers, the park was unknown, except to a handful of people, as perhaps the best place in the world to see tigers in the wild. 

Among those who Butch was privileged to work with in his capacity as naturalist were cameraman Alfonce Roy and producer Claire Fisher (Partridge Films); professional photographer Wolfgang Kaehler; wildlife artists Simon Combes and Robert Fuller; former British Foreign Minister Robin Cook; former US Senator and presidential candidate Robert Dole; Chris Packham, photographer and BBC presenter, on holiday with his daughter; and Neville and Pamela Isdell, former Chairman/CEO of Coca-Cola.

Working with National Geographic gave Butch the rare opportunity to explore inaccessible parts of the park where photographers, guides, and mahouts do not go because these areas require special permission and are only accessible on foot. He spent many long, hot hours and days in hides near water holes, on the hills where only the resident animals go.  During each game drive, Butch uses this knowledge to track tigers in their territories by anticipating every aspect of their behavior.

Butch is also deeply acquainted with Nepal’s National Parks, especially Chitwan.  Within India, he has a good knowledge of the wildlife and habitats in Panna, Kanha, Pench, Nagarhole, and Kaziranga.  In each of these parks, not all guides have the language skills to convey what they know to park visitors.  Butch draws out their knowledge, working with them in the same way he works with park guides in Bandhavgarh. 

What ties this together is Butch’s ability to work with all who either build their professional lives around wildlife or pursue it as a personal passion.