5 Ways you can contribute to Save Wild India

5 ways you can contribute to save Wildlife in India

I was taking feedback about the IndiaWilds Newsletters and one person said “You write some lengthy articles, half of those I understand and the other half I assume as correct because you put a lot of data and quotations from great guys. I agree that I should be a part of the conservation efforts. However, I am not a photographer and the only writing I do is office emails. So I can’t write articles either. I also can’t go and protest infront of Government officies like Medha Patkar. I can’t also go to the field with you guys as I need to take leave from office. So how can I help in conservation?

This made me think and write this.

Many of you are underestimating yourself. The power lies when each of us come together and form a strong unit. Support from you, however minuscule it may be, can go a long way towards strengthening of our cause of saving wildlife and wilderness areas of India.

1- Awareness building to save wildlife in India:

First and foremost requirement is spreading awareness. A lot of damage is caused to wildlife in India because of the ignorance of our decision makers. You can read our Newsletters and other conservation articles and speak about these issues to your known people, forward those to people by email or give them printouts and urge them to read. When you visit your alma mater, speak about your new found passion.

Today most of us travel so much that we don’t have time to open our desktop computers or laptops at home. And there is a large group of people who don’t have access to computers but are accessing net through mobiles.In India most of the internet penetration is happening through mobile phones. So I think it is imperative to reach out to these busy executives as well as to people who don’t have access to computers. So we decided to create a mobile app to access IndiaWilds. You can now download this mobile app for android phones to access IndiaWilds and view videos and documentaries on wildlife, lovely images, read articles etc. please download the app from this link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.businesscompassllc.indiawilds.

You can ask your friends and acquaintances to download this app.

Be the voice of millions of wildlife who can’t speak (our language).

A tigress (Panthera tigris tigris) code named T17, though born free is now carrying a Radio collar around its neck. To make matters worse, it is often followed by noisy tourists and photographers in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. Wildlife tourism is taking its toll in India and several times I observed this tigress being disturbed by tourists during its hunt. Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 24-105 F4L IS USM at 32mm, ISO 200, F4.5, 1/640, full frame image.

Tigress in Ranathambore hemmed by tourists



2- Raising your voice to save wildlife in India:

Wild India is under tremendous assault. Every day you can find a lot of issues while watching TV and reading newspapers. Also we keep posting the latest issues in the IndiaWilds Forums. You can pick up a cause and then write an email to influential people, concerned Government departments, ministers, letters to editors of newspapers, TV channels etc. After all, in a democracy it is the voice of people that often tilts the balance and makes the decision makers sit up, take notice and ultimately act. The names of a few senior Government officers are listed at the bottom of this page.

Tiger hacked into pieces by poachers

Tiger hacked into pieces by poachers

 

3- Films to raise awareness:

In a world which is fixated about saving the tiger, and ignoring the fact that other equally important and vulnerable species are vanishing, you can you can also forward this article to people in your office, among friends, in your society, school and college and speak on this issue. You can also share the link to IndiaWilds Youtube channel so that people can see documentaries, short videos etc to become aware of wildlife and conservation issues. Check the IndiaWilds youtube channel – http://www.youtube.com/user/IndiaWilds

 

Discovering Rann

Rann of Kutch in the state of Gujarat is often seen as a desert and a waste land waiting to be exploited. However, the Rann is an ecologically fragile desert ecosystem and various species are bound to each other by a complex web of inter-relationships. Discovering Rann highlights these interrelationships as well as the tough battle that many species need to do everyday to survive. The documentary contains a battle between an Eastern Imperial Eagle and a Desert Fox where each combatant uses its strengths to evade the other. Discovering Rann also shows the menace of the feral dogs and many other sub stories.

 

Jewels of Thane Creek:

My recent documentary film on Thane Creek explores the complex relationship between various species and aims to educate people about the rich natural heritage they have close to the metropolis of Mumbai. You can watch the film at the below link:

A Call in the Rainforest:

This film has been awarded by Maharashtra CM in 2012 and has been screened in various international film festivals. It was the official selection in Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, New York in Oct, 2014. This film documents the plight of one group of Lion-tailed macaques in Valparai, Tamil Nadu, India. It captures the impact of all our actions on the lion-tailed macaques and these issues are also found in other wilderness areas. You can check the film below.

A young Lion Tailed Macaque in Western Ghats, India

A young Lion Tailed Macaque in Western Ghats, India

 

Bee-eaters of Naguvanahalli:

A short film on Bee-eaters titled

A God in Distress:

A short film on Elephants

This short film trailer showcases the plight of the elephants.

That will help in raising awareness to save other lesser known endangered species. You can check as well as ask others to check the IndiaWilds youtube channel – http://www.youtube.com/user/IndiaWilds



4- Financial Contribution:

You can contribute financially as well as help your network to raise resources to support conservation issues in India. There are many people tirelessly working in the field to help conserve India’s fast vanishing wilderness and wildlife. These people are the forgotten foot soldiers saving the biodiversity of India against tremendous odds. IndiaWilds is committed to helping them. We contribute amounts from our own pockets. If you want to contribute money, then do let us know and we can help you to reach out to the needy people directly.

 

5- Follow the rules when in a Jungle/Tiger Reserve

And last but not least, since you all visit jungles and other wilderness areas, please don’t forget that you are not in cities and hence should follow the rules mentioned by the forest department. Following are some minimum things which we all can follow when visiting a jungle or any nature spot

– Select a hotel/resort that is eco-friendly. Please don’t demand AC and other material comforts when you are in a jungle.

– No littering, carry back all the plastics we take and leave the place clean. Herbivores chew the polythene and other plastic wrappers due to the salt content and swallow it in the process and die a painful death.

Cheetal Axis axis deer munching a plastic packet of wafers in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, India. Deers often munch and swallow empty wafers packets carelessly thrown away by tourists and the deers are also known to be killed in the process.

Cheetal Axis axis deer munching a plastic packet of wafers in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, India. Deers often munch and swallow empty wafers packets carelessly thrown away by tourists and the deers are also known to be killed in the process.

– Our roads cut across our wilderness areas. Either choose a road that circumvents our forests or Drive cautiously as there can be wild animals crossing. Many wild animals fall prey to rash driving by people.

Sabyasachi_20070720_1078

Mongoose killed by a speeding car

– No honking, that will help to enjoy the quiet and peacefulness of the jungle

– Don’t get down when passing through the jungle as that can be dangerous.

– Don’t feed any animals, like monkeys and deers or sambar. By feeding them we make them dependent on us and break their natural feeding instincts.

– Don’t buy memorabilia like t-shirts, caps etc from the vendors outside the national park gate, else you will encourage more and more people to set up shops there and increase the population of the village.

– Do carry your camera to document our fast vanishing wilderness areas and report it to us.

– If you find any illegal activities, then even click or record video with your smart phone and send it to us. We will take it up with the authorities.

If we follow these simple 5 steps we can in our own way contribute to save the wildlife in India.

You can write emails/letters to the following influential persons as applicable: (updated on 20/07/2015)

Shri.Narendra Modi

Hon’ble Prime Minister of India,

South Block, Raisina Hill,New Delhi – 110011

http://www.pmindia.nic.in/interact_with_pm.php#

Email: pmosb@pmo.nic.in

Tel: +91-11-23012312

Fax: +91-11-23016857

 

Shri Prakash Javadekar

Hon’ble Minister for MoEF&CC

Ministry of Environment and Forests

Indira Paryavaran Bhawan,

Jor bagh Road,

New Delhi – 110003

Email: mefcc@gov.in

prakash.j@sansad.nic.in

Tel: +91-11-24695136, 24695132

Fax: +91-11-24695329(Fax)

 

Shri C K Mishra, IAS

Secretary

Ministry of Environment and Forests

Room No. 1, Paryavaran Bhawaan,

CGO Complex,

Lodhi Road,

New Delhi – 110003

Tel: +91-11-24695262, 24695265

Fax: +91-11-243695270

Email: secy-moef@nic.in

 

Shri Siddhanta Das

Special Secretary & Director General of Forests (Wildlife)

Ministry of Environment and Forest & (Special Secretary)

Paryavaran Bhawaan,

CGO Complex,

Lodhi Road,

New Delhi – 110003

Email:dgfindia@nic.in

Tel: +91-11-24695282

Fax: +91-11-23380143

 

If you need any contact details of any Chief Minister, minister or Government official of any state to write your protest letter to Save Wildlife in India or for supporting us, please send your email to administrator@indiawilds.com.

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