Many animal lovers and Blue cross people make a huge cry over a street dog not being kept properly. But our national tressure wild animals are being pestered and their living space is poached by our human beings. No one seems to realize that. I agree that there are many reserve forests, taken care of by our Indian Government’s Forest department. But still almost every day, we read or see the news about an elephant entering into villages, bear attacking humans, leopards coming at night and taking the cattle.

Why this happens? Why those wild animals come in side the human habitation? I asked the question to a Naturalist, the answer I got was shocking and an eye opener for me.

There are two reasons why wild animals come inside a village or a human habitation. One is, the land area is occupied by the humans, the next is the snack covers left in the forest by us.

Can not believe? Let me explain. Whenever our people go for Safari in a reserve forest, they are not aware that, the wild animals are not accustomed to our food, and presence in the forest. The forest department officials have put up a board saying plastic-free zone. But some people take the snack packets like Kurkure, lays chips with them and just through it in the forest. Those snacks contain lots of salt and other tase makers. For the salt, the wild animals eat the plastic paper (including the cows in smaller towns), get ill and die. Other intelligent animals, having tasted the salt, come out to human habitation for more.

Then starts the conflict of animals versus man. Humans have to live too, so are the animals. Until we reach an optimum solution, there will be loss of lives in both human and animals.

The statement by the naturalist made me think about a lot of things. I separated the problems into various pieces and analysed. I came with a flow chart and did data analysis. It seems like the following are the main threat to the forest and wild animals .

• Population is going on increasing in urban and rural area, resulting in making forest buffer lands (buffer lands are those lands surrounding the reserve forest) to be made into a residential or industrial area.
• People near the buffer area of the forest need livelihood, so they convert the lands into fields.
• People who visit the forests and enjoy safari are not educated properly and don’t know how to behave in a forest.
• The garbage and plastics thrown by them may contain salt, resulting in animals eating them causing the wild animals to come to the buffer and beyond for more salty food like paddy or any other crop.
• Sometimes, an old tiger or a wounded one which cannot hunt the wild deer may come to the buffer area and attack the cattle. A surprising information here is, the tiger doesn’t attack sheep or goat. They prefer only cow or ox as their flesh contain salt.
• An elephant challenged by the new leader of the group might got expelled and might roam around the buffer area and even venture into the village fields. They are the real threat to the people living in the village as these single elephants are very angry.
• Sloth bear or any normal bear is like a scavenger rummaging the dust bins of the human habitation. They like our food and come for that. They are really dangerous as they detest human smell.

Now keeping these things in mind, if we want to come to an optimum solution for safety for both animals and humans, we arrive at one thing. That is to educate people who are living in the surrounding area of the forest. All problem occurs when a wild animal could not find the sufficient food for it inside the forest or the taste of cooked salt food make them come out. The government has to undertake an initiative to educate those people and those visiting the forest for a safari.

First, the government or the NGOs must design a curriculum to educate the people living near by the forest. Because, they cut down trees, create forest fire, the food becomes insufficient for the animals, causing them to come out, thus creating problem for the humans. In this vicious cycle of errors, the first thing to be rectified is humans misbehaving and tampering with the forest’s eco system. For that educating them is the only solution.

Now, if we come to the people going on a tour or picnic to the forest and enjoy a safari, they have to be given stern instructions as how to behave there. Their bags, their other belongings must be checked thoroughly by forest department officials for any snacks packet, any plastic items they might throw away unknowingly. Before every safari an orientation class for a few minutes is absolutely necessary for the people to understand and behave properly in a forest. Also, they must be educated about the importance of preserving forests and the wild animals in them.

One more thing I want to add is about sighting the animals during safari. Most of the people, even the educated, think that the wild animals will be waiting along the roads for them. How dare they don’t behave properly and wait for me? Is the attitude of many people. We must understand that, the animals in the wilderness are not exhibits and they don’t want humans to see them.

They don’t know that you have come a faraway place to see them. Please don’t expect a showcase of animals waiting for your darshan along the road. Respect their privacy. It is extremely difficult to spot animals like tigers and leopard. But some people don’t understand this at all and even demand return of ticket money, if they could see only deer not a tiger or a leopard in a reserve forest. They must be educated about this. The forest officials should say a statutory warning about not guaranteeing the sight of tigers or leopards or even elephants. If you want an exhibition of animals please visit a nearby zoo.

Those who don’t understand and respect the privacy and rights of the wild animals need not come for a safari. In this way we can protect a lot of wild animals and environment too! One more word I would like to add about the superstitions seeded by some fake astrologers. Wearing a tiger teeth or nail might bring good luck, wearing an elephant’s hair ring is very auspicious, all such nonsense must be stopped. Because of this also our animals are really in danger.

We must remember that, this earth originally belonged to the animals. We only invaded their territory and drew them away. If a guest comes to your house and behaves badly like littering your dining table, watching you as an exhibit, how would you feel? That is exactly what we are doing to them.

I am not saying we should not go on a trip to a forest and have a safari watching the animals in their natural habitat. But we must keep in mind that, we are guests there. Accordingly, we must behave.

The conflict between humans and animals had been there since the time immemorial. Since we have evolved and can think, it is our duty to protect the nature with the flora and fauna. We have only one earth, so let us preserve it beautifully as it was before with its pet children called the wild animals. 

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