Ever since the creation of sanctuaries for wildlife , one could at least breath a sigh of relief that in some places wildlife can roam freely like they are meant to be. According to the Wildlife institute of India website “India has a network of 990 Protected Areas including 106 National Parks, 565 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 100 Conservation Reserves and 219 Community Reserves covering a total of 1,73,306.83 km2 of geographical area of the country which is approximately 5.27%. “. Unfortunately . even in this less than 6 % protected area there is a huge human population presence.
In other words, places where wildlife really roams free of humans is very miniscule in nature.
But the illusion of wildlife preserves has convinced many that there need not be any wildlife around their homes . one of the arguments being ” are there not reserves for animals, why are they troubling me in my own backyard? “. This attitude means that are constant human animal conflicts with either the animal being killed or removed from it’s original habitat. The reality of the situation is that we need wildlife to survive as they provide critical ecosystem services that support our way of living. snakes keep rats in check, birds keep insects in check, frogs keep mosquitos in check etc the list can be expanded endlessly.
kanniyakumari district with its abundant vegetation and green cover has the potential to harbor abundant wildlife but sadly that is not the case. The district is ripe with human animal conflict , with the ultimate losers being the animals. While initially people complained about dangerous animals , off late it has even spread to harmless animals like the civet cats. People kill them without remorse even though they cause no harm whatsoever.
All this can change if only we have the will to do what is right !
While the majority can take a negative stand towards wildlife in general, the few nature lovers like us can take a counter stand and give our voices for the wildlife. Some of the things that we could do
- Firstly talk in support of wildlife openly. Become the voice of the wildlife
- Make your home wildlife friendly. Have a bird bath, Place a nest box etc.
- Educate your own family about wildlife
- Plant a tree. In a urban landscape the land is exclusively under the control of humans but a tree canopy is still a habitat that animals can use without interference from humans.
- Clear the trash not the bushes. thick bushes are urban wildlife refuges often the places where small birds nest. Stop clearing these thickets, instead clear the trash that is all over the district. Remember trash looks awful to the eye whereas bushes are butterfly magnets.
Overall speaking, do not budge under pressure from neighbors to clear trees or bushes. we need to take pride in shat we are doing and take a stand in favour of wildlife. The morning songs of birds are as much a part of our culture as is religion.