In the movie “The Matrix”, a critically acclaimed sci-fi movie, machines of future harvest human life form to power their needs. The main protagonist, in a stunning scene, literally claws out his cocoon to see the scale of such a “human farm”.
Tiger, a top natural predator, is a top menu attraction for many in China and other Far East Asian nations.
For medicinal and gustatory reasons, tigers have been cultivated and “farmed” in China. International pressure had kept the humiliating slaughter & sale of captive tigers at bay for 14 years. Today there are more than 5000 tigers in the various “tiger farms” in China. As recent as last year, the Chinese delegation brought in a stunning new proposal for tiger conservation (supported by a think tank in India).
Legalize the tiger farms; which would minimize / nullify illegal poaching of tigers from India; as people (who use tiger products) would get their “tiger supply” from “tiger farms”.
I actually had a hearty laugh.
I was reminded of a frolicky, cuddly, obese tiger (with an Indian name), brought up in the cosmopolitan San Diego zoo, which the zoo keeper was parading around in chains to create “awareness”. That image was juxtaposed with the ludicrously lamentable file photo of a tiger made to “hunt” domestic cattle in the Chinese tiger farm!
I laughed again. Humanity does have a twisted sense of humour!
I was reminded of a “comatose” patient. No sparks. Just a vegetative “form”; just a shadow; just a name perhaps. Perhaps the “tiger farm” proponents had that in mind. Save the “tiger as a species”. To hell with everything else.
In fact, even I used to ask, “Why can’t we save the tiger in the zoos”!
Here is why:
Tiger is the top predator in a forest. It feeds on ungulates (hoofed mammals, like deer etc). Hoofed animals eat grass, shrubs. Hooves have a detrimental effect on soil structure. If too much grass is eaten, it exposes the top soil. Ultimately the top soil loosens, which leads to erosion. With erosion, life forms in soil diminish. Overtime it leads to deforestation. Deforestation affects lots of things, climate being one. Climate affects us, the humans.
The tiger plays the important role of keeping the ungulates in check.
Tiger Conservation = wildlife conservation = our conservation.
Hence, I would like to ask this question: would you like to gift a hot, dry, dusty, barren environment to the future generation to grow in? Statistics (topic for another thread in future) shows that’s exactly what our kids are inheriting from us.
Now that’s a true Chinese Conundrum.
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