One of the (many) sobering things about this is, fifteen or even ten years ago such a statistic would have sent a chill up my spine; today, it almost comes across as just another piece of bad news.
Then, I would struggle with basic maths but could name practically each and every one of the designated Project Tiger Reserves. I would reel off "40,000 at the turn of the century, only 1800 in 1972, 4000 today", and not always be met with looks of recognition. I'd stay up late and trade the homework completion hour for watching Land of the Tiger on the BBC (the episodes of which are available online - do watch), or devouring Nirmal Ghosh's Jungle Life of India. There was much inspiration to found in the work of people like Billy Arjan Singh, Valmik Thapar, and Ullas Karanth - I missed a day of school once to attend a seminar conducted by Dr.Karanth. Where has the passion gone?
Several among us might have genuinely cared when we were young (and privileged?) enough to do so. The rat race soon beckoned, and we threw in our respective lots; we found a myriad of reasons to not head off the beaten track, and work towards landing a position from which we might be able to make a difference. Perhaps, as far as Project Tiger is concerned, this is where the plot was lost.
I'd like to believe the situation is redeemable, and this looks like a good place to start.
Hear hear.
ReplyDeleteHowever, doesn't the cynicism rankle? We have, as a people, become immune, become hardened. (At the at the risk of sounding Trainspotting-ish) Make money, get the hike, get the promotion, get the big car.... nature? What? What a sissy.
It certainly does (much as I didn't want this post to be a cynical one)! It's understandable that most of us choose to be that way, but it seems to me that because of this, the Forest Service and most wildlife conservation societies have lost out on a number of capable and genuinely interested people over the years.
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued by this post, given that it came two posts after your R.I. post that referenced a White Tiger. Subconscious empathy at work?
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those topics (others being gorillas, deforestation, women's rights) that I have an armchair temper about. Then I do nothing in the end of course.
Glad you're writing after a bit of a hiatus.
Anand
Nice observation Anand, I'll conveniently agree with the subconscious empathy explanation!
ReplyDeleteI'll add whaling to the list of armchair topics, after watching a horrifying program on Discovery the other day.
Heard from Vinayak you've been writing on tennis again, would love to read your pieces. Can you include me in your sending list?