Tiger Poaching is Not Man Animal Conflict. It is Crime

Poaching is a heinous crime that is not a man-animal conflict and, this misconception has to be correctly implanted in society. Snaring, electrocution, and poisoning, all are done on the pretext of poaching for the small game thus mitigating the enormity of the crime in the public view. I do not know if any possible leniency accrues from the legal framework as such. Or is it labeled as small game poaching to address the culpability of sentinel in a more acceptable manner?  What can we do?      

Tiger

The recent snaring of a young tigress in the buffer zone of Kanha National Park adds up to another heinous crime against the beleaguered predator. Snaring is unimaginably painful and gruesome. Poaching in the buffer zones is a regular occurrence albeit the span between is reassuring but at the same time, it lulls the setup into complacency. These incidents keep on happening infrequently and some may go unnoticed by the public eye. For the death of the tiger is sometimes kept in a veil of secrecy for reasons unknown or simply to ward off public pressure.  

After every tiger poaching, there is some noise but like every crime, the act is soon forgotten. We are famous for forgetting even gruesome crimes that belie human sensibility whence precious life is concerned. We suffer from a weak memory. Although every life and every life form is precious, nonreversible incidence like the killing of big cats means the extinction of the species. Our National Animal can be killed so easily is a startling fact.        

The vast spread of our jungles and the humanity that prevails in between is an excuse enough for those in charge of the protected areas to get away. And the legal provisions are so shallow that every murderer gets bail and the case drags on and on. Though punitive measures cannot come into consideration until the act is proven but there can be some prevalent signs or logic that can come into play of the possibility of crime weighing down on the person assumed to be the culprit. Something that prevents outright bail. 

In such instances, bail is a clear getaway or escape from the grip of the law. The legal lacunae and skillful advocacy and delayed criminal proceedings are further attenuated by corruption in the courts and the clog that is present regarding the humongous number of cases is an encouragement for die-hard criminals or in this context the poachers. This criminal indulgence in tiger killing in India does not instill fear of punitive measures and its repeated occurrence is assured.            

The punitive sentence awarded is also not enough...poaching a tiger leads to jail for eleven years or so. And the indictment is rare. Why do we not consider the killing of rare and endangered megafauna on par with the murder of humans? Are we so biased against other life forms?  Not only this we continue to damage our environment through irrational resource utilization and management. And then we complain of climate instability.  

If we can be so sagacious in legislating the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 then we can consider this as well. A strong punitive measure should be in place for killing endangered species.   

Indian Conservation Ethos

We are powered by the past in conservation our fabulous Vedic civilization outshines all global ethos in according sanctity to all life forms and nature as a whole. We consider vital elements of nature as holy or sanctimonious why not the tiger or the leopard or the elephant? Is it because of past abundance and hence the lack of importance of these species? This could be true and so is the truth that we fear changing Holy sanctions even if they are not rational anymore. Things need to change with time and the prevalence of facts in the contemporary without fear of Holy wrath. Every Indian carries the ethos of the Vedic civilization within, howsoever shallow in some instances.      

The killing of big cats in India will continue unmitigated unless strongly discouraging punitive measures are put into the act.            

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Uday Works as Freelance Naturalist and Blogs on conservation, tigers, and environmental issues.

He also provides SEO and Website Content in English. He teaches Digital Marketing in Jabalpur in the summer.

He can be contacted at:

Mail: pateluday90@hotmail.com
 Mob: 09755089323

             

An Elephant Brutality Killed

Om Ganesh Namah! 

A perfect ode to a beloved God. For every new startup Ganesha is the first deity to be praised. The almighty sports an elephant head. How and Why? Is it a myth or factual, and that perhaps it is timeless as well? 

Nevertheless Hinduism is a belief that collectively reveres all aspect of nature ... the philosophical aspects are deep and the believers are not animists. More and more...we are realizing that nature's love and preservation is essential for our survival.     

It is the word all-encompassing that describes the World, does not it? So the belief is a holistic science, I wish to inform readers before they began to get trapped in false conjectures. It is simple science that all life forms and elements on Earth are interconnected and by praising the Lord in any form...by this, we acknowledge reverence to his creation. This applies to animals too and hence veneration of the lovely creatures in some form or the other. I do not imply that all should follow, for it is each to his or her own belief. 

Brutal Elephant Killing or Murder?

In a district of Kerala, an Indian State a wild elephant cow hungry and pregnant came into the human abode seeking nourishment. For a wild animal accepting the proximity of humans is because of distress as well as due to trust. All she received was a handful of fruits laden with explosives. Was this accidental? No Way! Fruits do not contain firecrackers they were deliberately placed or rather fed to her with the intention to kill. She stood in the water at a nearby pond suffering pain and unbearable agony due to the heinous deed of the civilized.  With her mouth and perhaps innards badly damaged she was beyond recovery an early death could have saved her from the agonizing pain. 

She stood still in a stupor after the shock of the explosion inside her!        

Of Punitive Measures! 

The uproar was justified and still continues and will continue till the culprits are punished for this gory crime. But this also reminds us of how we treat other life forms on Earth. We are brutal towards wild animals, especially whence threat perception overtakes our sanity. Our legislations ignore wild animals or takes them lightly, there are no punitive measures harsh enough that could discourage these inhuman deeds. The law should be unrelenting over such deeds and yes implemented with vigor. 

Our Fear & Human Insensitivity & Vedas

People feel threatened in the vicinity of these creatures, and our beliefs is shaped by the vermin concept and total disregard for them. This is in spite of the Vedic ethos that was part of our evolving civilization and nurtures us since birth. There is a lot of emphasis in Vedic Literature on conservation and the best way to carry forward this message is to denote life forms and natural elements as holy or worthy of respect and hence should be preserved. Some find this illogical?   

Yes, human sensitivity should not ignore other life forms we care for ourselves. For our threat perception, there is a mechanism in place to deal with any violence that could be a result of a possible or real-time attack.  We are evolving mechanisms to capture the animals alive in case they come to our vicinity. We now have snake handlers, animal catchers, professional vets, tranquilizers, nets, and cages that incarcerate the temporarily till they are released in their homes. And we have the forest department trained to look after the forest and wild animals. But there is a point here too. 

Where Do They Go?

What about the homes of the wild animals we are encroaching with rabid speed... the environs that support other life forms. So where do they go? They are hard-pressed often to enter urban surroundings and then this is the treatment we accord to them. Sic!

Almost every day tigers, bears, snakes, and other animals are becoming victims of human greed and empathy. This seems to be a never-ending phenomenon.  Not only animals...we are destroying our green lungs, the precious ecosystems that support life on Earth.  Unimaginable acreage of forests is being lost to human greed. And then we complain about global warming and pandemics.

Reap As You Sow!
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Uday Works as Freelance Naturalist and Blogs on conservation, tigers, and environmental issues. 
He also provides SEO and Website Content in English.
Uday Teaches Internet Marketing Classes in his hometown of Jabalpur in the Summer.  
He can be contacted at: 

pateluday90@hotmail.com

Man Animal Conflict: Wild Elephants & Habitat Loss

Unearthing the Earth!

{Governments do not look beyond the projects! When framing a developmental project please spell out the environmental concern first! We do not want a rail line or a highway passing from a land belonging to other life forms in our precious habitats!}

First it was the rapid expansion of agriculture and settlements that decimated vast habitats in India. Now we have this development thing going with a jingoistic fervor beyond comprehension. The agriculture lands rapidly converted...taken away from wild animals or other life forms... were primarily forests and to some extent grasslands, not forgetting aquatic ecosystems that were destroyed in the wake. 

While in case of tigers, they were completely wiped out from denuded forests all over the country, the elephants clung to the remains and inaccessible regions since being coarse grazers they are not specialized hunters like the big cats. But their population grew in time to come especially, from ban on hunting which was a must. 

What we fail to realize is that floral diversity is the prey base of the elephants like in case of many other herbivores. It is this floral diversity we are losing in the country. Please do not look from the perspective of protected areas they constitute a minuscule of land. Conservation has to be widespread pervasive constructively.     

The pillage has resulted in severe man animal conflict vis a vis the pachyderm and man. As the elephants venture back into what were their earlier feeding grounds they find the urban assemblage highways, rails, canals, dams, settlements, industries and mining grounds apart from acres of fields to their consternation. 

Umbrage as results is difficult to manage and men die too with the animal being blamed for it. Sadly as consequence!  Electrocution, poaching, hunting, accidents all are decimating the population of pachyderms in India. 

Wildlife encroaching upon the fields is not greed they are not especially fond of agricultural produce in the country of rapidly shrinking habitats it is a necessity an act of survival. Wildlife encroachment into human settlements is not an aberration or desire to kill it is simply trying to recover lost homelands or gain more space in order to survive. 

But unfortunately human fields and settlements are full stops the poor animals are incapable of understanding. Take the case of Asiatic Lion in India issues have stood in the way and they have not been trans-located to other grounds so far. This will certainly result in conflict in their present area and the predator will be put to blame. I hope better sense prevails!         

All this reeks of a bad land management for conservation output. Draw a straight line and excavate...projects take priority...the development imperative.  

Now this question should arise how much land should we vacate before we lose all our endangered species and endanger those that are not...but in time to come. Do we have a time bound solution? 

Encroachment into prime habitats is not a hidden factor it is right in the open and dispensations pay two hoots to it. But creating more PAs and increasing the dimensions of existing PAs is definitely the answer. Restricting agrarian practices, preventing commercialization and unchecked development is the answer! This cannot be done outright that is quite evident but a more circumstantial approach should in place. But who has the time and initiative? All we see is personal bickering in the media and formulation of policies only based on human welfare. There is hardly any thought accorded to environmental concerns and conservation. Just creating institutions and acts is not enough proper implementation and rationale has to be a proper ongoing activity which we expect from the people at helm. The people of India would like to witness more committed and sincere approach towards conservation and environmental concerns in totality.             

Under the Project Elephant the Government has issued directives to Elephant States to create barriers  (sic) and trackers will study the movement of these animals to minimize conflicts. Is this the root cause management? One way to minimize conflicts with animals living in our wilderness is to accord more space. Are we willing? To many the suggestion would appear as gross illogical. Where will the humans go?        

The World we live in reeks of human prerogative and prejudice other life forms are mere elements that evolved along with man but are now inconsequential. 

Who is to blame? 

Fairly and squarely humans are to be blamed...and the act most damaging has been unchecked population growth, which continues to grow. The development imperative may not necessarily have to be due to the population of India bursting over the seams. Every dispensation is interested in managing the countries huge population (Vote Bank) irrespective of ecological cost that the Nation has to bear. Population growth should be checked with full vigor. Then comes the development factor which is erroneously blamed on the massive population. This would have been there even if the population check was in picture. 

Look at some developed countries there is nothing left but this modern human assemblage. Have they stemmed the rot that is the environment imbalances? No! The climate change is effecting one and all and to worsen the unchecked fossil fuel consumption is nothing but disastrous. So we too emulate them!      

India differs from many other Nations in that our conservation ethos date back to thousands of years and the message is still intact. If we do not stem the rot there will be no places for wilderness in the country and the result is already warming thanks to the climate change which will take a noticeable toll in time to come.       

Role elephants play in conservation. 

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Uday works as naturalist at Kanha National Park.
He writes on conservation issues and wildlife.
Contact: pateluday90@hotmail.com

Who Are the Perpetrators of Worst Injustice on Earth!

This article certainly does not extol the virtue of vegetarianism but at the same time does not criticize personal food choices. I eat meat strictly whence slaughtered without pain. This article does not extol the preaching in Vedas which have since five thousand years back advocated the preservation of life forms precious - through veneration. We consider cows holy. But at the same time do we treat our cows well??? Leave them on streets hungry, and derelict and become a cause of deadly accidents and yes of International Shame.    

This article speaks about other life forms! Have mercy on all life forms, including (vermin sic) that may not agonize you whence tortured or killed. I mean all. 

How some of us treat them!

NO question mark if you notice above. Some of us are merciless inhuman or life forms of the worst kind. When threat perception arises, greed overcomes, sports instincts or just plain hate gives some of us extreme pleasure and revengeful feelings arise...some of us do the following:  

Kill, snare, maim, and electrocute a tiger. Hang a leopard by the pole after thrashing it to death. Kill a deer and distribute meat. Tie a sloth bear and display. The state of the rhesus macaque as the above image speaks. Kill a snake on sight. Thrash a dog. Kill a bird with a slingshot! Shoot animals for pleasure and sport. Torture animals for sport in the name of culture. Crush elephants under the rails, and kill them as raiders in their own land. Cage animals for pets, and hang them dead on the wall as decor. Wear fur, make shoes, and trophies of wild animals. Incarcerate a fish for life in a glass container.   

Snatch scant habitats of other lifeforms. Who are the usurpers? The land grabbers? After doing this some still affirm their belief in the almighty. Did the almighty create life to be treated this way! 

What exactly is sacrosanct? Only that which affects our sensitivities or goes against the dogmas? 

Some of us even consume endangered wild animals and birds with scant regard to their status. Wood loggers, polluters of our precious water sources, and those who dig deep into mother earth for greed. Those who ravage forests - our lungs and grassland....the precious ecosystems.  

These are the vermin! Their acts will one day force us to explain to our gen next on respirator....that is why we failed you.  

That some of us do not care about other life forms, especially those who fail to agonize over their sensitivity. It is obvious!      

All those who indulge in these callous merciless activities are creatures of the worst kind. No need to hide behind the veil of culture, ideology, or other sensitivities for the perpetrators of inhuman deeds.  

The message is clear preserve all Earthly elements and life forms or perish!

What we can do? Prevent animal cruelty if possible! Speak or write against this cruelty!  

Pictures by Jagat Flora

Sambar Deer

Jackal

Langur Monkeys

Wild Boar

Young Tiger at Kanha

These are the photographs taken by Jagat Flora on his visit to Kanha National Park recently.

Herd of Swamp Deer

Spotted Deer

Bison

Swamp Deer Male

Tiger Trouble - Live Stock Killings

It is quiet often that tigers come out of their hidings from dense forests in order to kill live stock. There are many instances of cattle kill by tigers in brought daylight right in front of the villagers.  This often calls for retaliation by the villagers during the kill or after it. The irate live stock owners often poison the carcass in order to seek revenge for the loss of their cattle. 

In many cases the tiger is at the kill with hundreds of villagers gawking at it. This is a dangerous act since there have been cases of people being killed by tigers on kill. This usually happens whence villagers venture too close to the big cat. These animals are intolerant whence eating and they charge in fear.  

The villagers encroach tiger habitats with impunity in periphery of many tiger reserves. This invites conflict with big cats inhabiting the area. Often the cattle are killed or the big cat chased away by the herdsmen.  This is an ongoing problem in tiger habitats and no solution has yet been found.   

Muchmucha Tiger is Dead

As the story unfolds the Muchmucha (Bandhavgarh) male tiger died due to electrocution in one of the fields in the village. Muchmucha is on the Tala Road about fifteen km from Barhi. This is the bitter tale of tiger's survival in India. The electric wire trap was laid by some notorious poachers obviously for small game.  

It is assumed that the tiger died on 25th February 2013 some times in the night while crossing over. The male tiger was about five years old and in a state of good health. I hope the tiger had mated with the female it encountered in my last trip. The tiger was in its prime and was in a position to sire many cubs but the tragedy has put stop to that.     

The tiger population in the outskirts of Bandhavgarh is thin and it will be some time before another male takes over the breeding process. The electrocution menace is wide spread in Central Indian Tiger Reserve. This is due to 11 KVA line passing through many reserves. 

It is problems like these which have to taken care of but unfortunately myopia rules over our thinkers. Precious time is wasted on issues like tourism which are already under an experienced control mechanism.  Not one voice is raised regarding issues that are really decimating the left over big cat populations in the country.