The Rock-star Of The Rockies

The forests of the western ghats are rich and diverse in its flora & fauna.It is one among the few Biological Hotspots in the world. The ghats offer a multitude of landscapes and terrains that vary from the open grasslands to the rocky mountains and the thick evergreen forests. The hilly and rocky regions of the ghats are occupied by the its unique and endemic rock climber - The Nilgiri Thar.

These mountain goats can skip over slippery rocks without slipping and can dash through terrifying slopes with ease. They are well adapted to the life on these hills, grasslands and the adjoining Shola forests of the blue hills. These gentle creatures are easily spotted in Eravikulam National Park where they are specially protected and well taken care of . The only problem here,is the tourists who touch and groom these animals as if they were just toys.

If you are having any plan to make a visit to the park, then keep in mind that these are wild animals. Even though they appear gentle and peaceful , teasing them can uncover their wild side. Don't harm yourself or the animal by being senseless. Enjoy their beauty from a distance and you better avoid any physical contact. If the animal shows any aggression , move away and protect yourself before anything bad could happen .I have witnessed these animals displaying aggressive behavior especially when disturbed and particularly the large saddle-back males and the mother Nilgiri Thars , which are fiercely protective and may unleash an attack on the tourists when people touch their fawns. Getting rammed by a Thar out in these misty mountains can be as bad as getting hit by a car and for making the matter get worse, the paramedic facilities are not within reach .  

Another problem is caused by littering of the Thar's territory by the tourists,with plastic covers , water bottles and other trash which might pollute the ecosystem and can even jeopardize the life of these iconic creations of nature.Its our duty to regulate our activities when we are inside a protected area and thereby ensure the safety of our wild wonders .Enjoy nature at its best.......:-)

The Leopard Crisis In India

The leopard ( Panthera pardus ) , often referred to as the Prince Of Stealth due to its secretive nature and highly successful hunting strategies. Known for its powerful rear legs capable of taking prey many times larger than itself on to tree tops , and the distinctive spotted coat that blends in to the surroundings providing it the perfect camouflage. Unlike the tiger ,  the leopard is smaller and is known to live in outskirts of forests close to human in-habitations. Its one of the most adaptive big cat and is known to feed on everything from large antelopes to rats and even on fish for its survival.

When the whole world began to chase the popular trend of saving the 'Worlds Favorite Animal' , we should not forget these smaller big cats which also require special attention. Unlike tigers which rarely take a visit to nearby human settlements, leopards are more adventurous and may feed on livestock or on street dogs from the villages nearby its territory. 


The worst part is that hundreds of these cats have been killed in the last decade in our country and there by bringing their already shrinking populations one step closer to extinction. Many of these leopards have been mercilessly beaten to death by desperate people who cant wait for the animal rescue forces arrive. Many consider the killing of a leopard as an "ACT OF HEROISM". 


We are not living in those stone ages where people considered these animals just as man eaters.But the modern world describes them as precious lives and as creatures in need of protection . More over, killing a female leopard also kills its helpless cubs,which are left alone to  painfully starve to death .


 The only way to put an end to this public slaughter of our leopards could be made possible only by creating public awareness beforehand about the importance of these iconic creatures in the forest ecosystem. The should be trained to keep calm and act intelligently on the occasion of a leopard sighting in a populated area. This is particularly important for those people living in the outskirts of forests in-order to safeguard their life as well as that of the leopards of that area .


There is absolutely no heroism in killing or harming a wild animal no matter how potentially dangerous it could be. The one who wisely avoids confrontations with wildlife and  could provide an opportunity for a mutual coexistence with the other lifeforms defines a true Hero in the modern sense. Taking life is the easiest part. But the reverse.......You know that it is a different story.  


Even without our interference, these animals will have a hard time surviving in the wild. So why should we jeopardize their precious lives. Lets share our world with these poor creatures and have lets a peaceful coexistence.

VANISHING BEAUTY

                                          
                                                                            
  
Of the 9 subspecies of  Tiger , only 6 exist. Reduced into nothing more than a few 100 individuals of each kind. India is having two of these 9 subspecies. India is home to the world's largest population of tigers in the wild. The worlds favorite animal is our national animal and what have we done to save this magnificent super-cat from extinction? With over 1,210,193,422 Indians  in our country, we have more than enough human resource to save our nations pride. But will we?...............

Lets never do to the Indian tiger what we have done to the Indian cheetah

Bengal Tiger - Bannerghatta National Park , Banglore

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Being an apex predator, the tiger don't have any natural predators. Humans are the only predators of tigers. Poaching being the prime reason for the disappearance of these cats. They are poached for skin and body parts , which are of great money value in the black market.Another reason is the reduction in numbers of their prey animals. This is caused by deforestation and over grazing of the livestock of the people living close to the forests. This will further reduce the territory of the tigers and lead to tigers turning to the livestock as their prey. This will further lead to human-tiger conflicts. Then the tigers may be killed by poisoned carcasses or trapped and killed in the name of saving their cows . What you can do is:

1) Don't be a poacher directly or indirectly.

2) If you really love the tiger, don't buy any products related to its body parts, such as tiger skins, bones, teeth or claws.

3) If you were to witness any kind of illegal activities being done that is related to the tiger or forests, be bold to report it to an authorized agency in your name. Also inform to the mass media , and use your social networking sites to help you get public support. You should file a complaint to police & forest departments against those who are indulged in such illegal activities.

4) Make public aware about importance of tiger and forests in the jungle ecosystems.

5) Adopt methods to prevent overgrazing in protected forests.

6) Along with the tiger, we have to ensure the protection of its habitat and prey species.

7) Tigers are territorial animals. So a greater amount of forest land is required for supporting a greater population of tigers.