Despite pros and cons on what we are doing to this planet ,I at first as an ordinary mammal would like to express my feelings by posting this content. Before going further,I wish everybody to view this video Human as Virus and think about it.
Urigam: why urigam? and what does it mean to us?Urigam is a riverside forest, comes under Hosur forest division, bordering Karnataka and Tamilnadu. The vegetation type is mostly dry deciduous, dry mixed deciduous, dry thorn and riverine. We have been working on conserving this region and other parts which comes under Melagiri hills. To know more about Melagiri and about our NGO, please visit Kenneth Anderson Nature society
The biotic pressure of humans not only in this region but also in other parts of Melagiri resulted in leaving the endemic species endangered or extinct. Some of them are tiger, leopard, grizzled giant squirrel, four horn antelope, chital, Slender Loris, Otter, etc… It is also highly affected by HEC (human elephant conflict) which is extreme and the casualties are frequently reported on either side. One main reason is due to fragmentation of forest by pockets of villages and blocking of elephant corridors. Most of the villagers are settlers migrated from other regions for labor and for other purposes during British period. I am sorry to say that Britishers are also one of the causes for this. They donated forest lands to them for agriculture as a credit for their plantation work and now they are ruining the place unaware of what the impact is going to be. As per my observation, this is how it started. Once they got lands inside the forest they are engaging the following activities.
- Slowly expanded their land boundaries.
- Purchased livestock and used the forest for fodder. Due to their intervention there was a decrease in the source of feeding for other habitat species leading them to die of hunger/forcibly migrate to other areas. The whole ecosystem disturbed, forced the dependent predators also to migrate to potential regions.
- The cattle and goats were also doing their good in rapid spread of exotic species like lantana camara which prohibits the growth of other endemic flora species.
- Once the villagers got access, and got familiar with the region, started exploiting the forest by deforestation and poaching.
- Once the forest was cleared, it will be engulfed for economic development like real estate which is again a pressure from outsiders.
and that’s how the devastation to the wilderness happen successfully and continuing even today. This is almost like a chain reaction.
Now coming to this elephant calf which is now in vandalur zoo, you might wonder how it got related to this region. Yes it is named after the above explained region ‘Urigam’ from where he got identified.
The Tale of Urigam
One early morning I was woke up by a call from Saravanan, field researcher from ANCF.He told me that there is a sick elephant along with her calf and one sub adult female standing idle for days on the river bank.He also added that the sub adult female was defending the calf from the trespassers mostly fishermen who attempted to drive them away.
Every few hours the female pachyderm went into the woods for feeding and turned back whenever it hears alarm call from the calf.The calf was active and tried to play with her mother.Since she didn’t respond, went to the sub adult, playing lonely and that’s how the days went on. I conveyed the information to DFO (district forest officer) and I went to the spot the next day. There I was shocked to see the mother elephant was dead.
I felt sad since I was helpless to save her.The sub adult went missing, not sure about its fate. The calf was circling around his dead mother and I could see tears still running out of his eyes. First time in my life lively I saw the emotions of this amazing mammal. It was late evening, so forest officials were in rushing trying to get rid of the calf, but it went in vain. It was very weak and my attempts to feed it also failed.After a short discussion the forest officials at last decided to take him away from that place and settle it in the rehabilation center(vandalur zoo) at chennai.So they forcibly dragged him out from that spot. It took almost half an hour to move it for few yards. I felt emotional when I saw her screaming like a baby, refusing to move away from his dead mother.Once I myself felt why God has given these live forms to our planet, just to suffer? Why we are blind, failing to understand their feelings and not feeling guilty for making their life miserable?.
Having such thoughts in my mind I helped others to drag this calf and at last we succeeded after some exhaustive efforts. The calf responded and we drove him towards the place where the carrier was waiting. There is a rivulet on the way running from cauvery river. When the calf got closer to it started drinking water by its mouth. We realized that it was exhausted and desperately needed energy.After energizing the calf, the forest officials took it to vandalur zoo where it is kept under captivity. I wish to do follow up. So I visited the vandalur zoo- rehabilitation center to know his condition. He is fine so far.Currently its diet includes mainly lactogen. I came to know that it was very weak and dehydrated for days, It ate sand,and it would have happened while drinking water.
To viewers
I will keep posting the progress of its growth and by your precious support or care, this calf will no longer be seen as an orphan and of course it will be healthy and can be taken back to the wilderness in future. His scream reverberates in my ears and disturbed my sleep for two days.
Now I am happy that the officials from the zoo have given confidence on its survival rate.
The above are based on my observation in this region. My heart feels weakened when I see the lush green is perishing day by day.Of course we can’t give up everything and reverse the things in one day, but we can do one thing to balance the ecosystem. Instead of spreading like a virus, let’s limit our population by giving only one or max two births from each match. I am sure that it will lead to good rapport, love, etc. not only among the kin and kith but also among others of the society to maintain peace which we are longing for from this unpredictable world.
