BANGALORE - What happens when a photographer and wildlife enthusiast goes on a 14-day safari to Africa? The answer is a colourful eco-friendly coffee table book.

“Dream Safari - A pictorial Journey through Africa’s Cradle of Life”, a pictorial depiction of eastern African jungles by city-based photographer and chemical engineer Diinesh Kumble, was launched here Thursday.

The unique feature of the book, which chronicles Diinesh’s family vacation in Kenya and Tanzania, is that it’s a ‘green’ book, printed entirely on 100 percent recycled paper with the help of technology company Hewlett and Packard.

Diinesh’s brother, cricketer Anil Kumble, released the book at a store here on the eve of World Environment Day. The function was attended by several photography lovers and wildlife enthusiasts.

“The book is a ‘dream safari’. Diinesh has been able to bring the best of eastern African wildlife pictorially and illustrate beautifully their behavioural patterns,” said the cricketer.

“Both of us have had a taste for photography since childhood. Although all these years I have had to focus more on cricket, but as I have taken retirement from first class cricket I too would like to come up with a similar kind of book,” said Anil, winking at his brother.

Be it the famed elephants of Amboseli amidst the expansive backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, a cheetah on its hunting expedition at Ngorongoro, the flight of flamingoes in lake Nakuru, a lioness and her cubs at play, the majestic lions in Serengeti, Diinesh’s images are a subtle depiction of the best of African wildlife.

“Through this pictorial book, I wish to share some of my experiences and joys of witnessing and photographing nature’s miracles,” said the 42-year-old photographer.

The 224 page book, priced at Rs.2,250, has 250 colour photographs along with interesting anecdotes.

“It is a great book and will go a long way in enlightening people on various aspects of photography and wildlife. The best part of the book is that the photographer has used natural light and colours to shoot his subjects,” said M.M. Jaykumar, state chief conservator of forests.