Chitals chewing plastic and paper

Made this image in bandipur.

"After a fine morning drive, having sighted a leopard in all its glory, the constituents of our vehicle were beaming with happines. However, the drive back to the resort brought everyone back into reality. Very close to the checkpost of Bandipur national park, we saw tourists proceeding towards Ooty feeding bread and jam to a herd of Chital. It has to be noted that off late, the drivers and naturalists of JLR-bandipur have taken the responsibility of patrolling the small length of drive on the highway when on safari. In line with this, our driver halted the jeep and took to verbally beating up the tourists and they took off at once, not giving us a chance to explain them the implications of what they did. In the process, a newspaper and a plastic bag found themselves thrown to ground. A duo of deers, mistaking the trash for food, picked up the same and wandered off into the jungle. End of story, or perhaps, the beginning.

The scene discussed is a fairly common one on the Bandipur-Ooty highway. With thousands of vehicles driving on this stretch every single day, and with majority of them unaware of the importance of preserving nature's gifts, the situation only seems to be worsening. What worries me most is the fact that many of them throwing trash think there is nothing wrong with it. Instead of being anguished and angry, should we see the other side of the coin to realise that these are "regular" tourists and have no idea about wildlife and its abode? What can "we", the "wildlife loving" tourists do to improve the awareness quotient? I am putting down one idea that I think is plausible. I wish to see more ideas pour in and soon one of them materialized.

**"Write to all members of this forum requesting for a small fund that will be used to print pamphlets/brochures that are then to be given [with due permission from the forest dept.] to as many vehicles as possible at the check post/entrance of the national park. I am aware that these pamphlets might find the same fate as the newspaper and plastic bag in the image. To avoid this, the people/driver of each vehicle must be instructed to read through the contents of the pamphlet and return it to the guards at the checkpost at the other end of the forest. If they fail to reproduce the pamphlet at the check post at the end of the forest road, a heavy penalty must be awarded.

What is the benefit of the whole process? Even if a majority 80% of people don't actually read the contents but only return it back at the check post, the minority 20% will have read them and informed themselves of the hazards of littering our forests and the worth of our wilderness [took the liberty of using the 80-20 rule :) ].

The advantage of asking tourists to give back the pamphlets/brochures would mean that there would be no need to further keep re-printing them on a large scale. Of course, for this, the same method would have to be employed from both check posts so that the pamphlets would be transported free of cost to both ends and also more importantly will cover more tourists.

Regards"

Its very depressing to see them innocently chewing poison.
On the sides of Bangalore to Calicut road, we can see lots and lots of garbage thrown. We have been travelling in that road many times, and almost every single time, we see people throwing food to monkeys, sometimes with plastic papers. Once we saw a group of guys (seemed educated) parking their car on the road side (in the Bangy-Calicut forest road), and leasurely having liquour, spreading a blanket on the ground, at the very edge of the thickets! We can bet, they left a lot of garbage over there.
Something must be done to educate people. If not masses, atleast a few people.

Bhargava,
It is unfortunate, that tourists feed deers and other animals on that road. The problem is most of the tourists don't know, so they feed animals. Of course a few wildlife photographers feed and then click pictures, but that is another story.

Raising awareness is fine. I don't think the pamplet distribution and returning etc idea is workable. Putting that to action is a logistics issue. I don't think we need to get into complicated solutions.

However, a few messages like "Feeding animals is a crime and the car numbers will be tracked via remote cameras. Penalty 20,000 rupees." That will reduce the problem.

For raising awareness, I will not support printing more papers which will be dumped into the roadside (not even a waste paper basket).

I am happy that some amount of effort is put in by the JLR drivers. However, they need to be trained to deliver the right message. These tour lodges charge so much of money, that even our well placed members find it difficult to afford it. So why can't they take the responsibility? All the resorts should be pitching in with their efforts.

As far as writing to members of IndiaWilds for funds, I disagree. As a matter of principle, I will only encourage activities where I am sure that I can put in efforts to raise funds and in case funds are not raised, I should be able to take care of the requirement monetarily.

You guys talk about conservation as if it is some kind of coffee corner discussion in a college. I have been trying to raise funds for sponsoring a biologist for a course abroad to learn census techniques. Till now the people who have contributed are very serious members, and hardly a handful of them are wildlife photographers with expensive Canon L series lenses. Sponsorship requirement for a workshop abroad - Indiawilds: Land of the Tiger. Conservation, Wildlife Photography, Communities

Also, I don't want to get involved in any fund raising where I don't have any control over implementation, lest my hard earned reputation and integrity is lost for ever. I can't ask people to contribute where I am not sure that their hard earned money is put to good use. If I take up a cause, I do so, whether anyone supports it or not.

As IndiaWilds, we will definitely do many on the field activities in the future. All those activities will be carefully chosen so that it makes significant contribution to the conservation arena.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

My personal view on the things are as below.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sabyasachi Patra

For raising awareness, I will not support printing more papers which will be dumped into the roadside (not even a waste paper basket).

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To this, i agree. Once again the printed paper might end up in another deer's mouth. Many people are that careless and ignorant.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sabyasachi Patra

You guys talk about conservation as if it is some kind of coffee corner discussion in a college.

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May be you can teach us? After all i and few others are newbies to wildlife, forget photography. But people like you might have spent years, and with your experience, you can give us ideas that are practical.
There was an instance where i was talking to my colleague about my recent jungle trips and sightings. Suddenly he asked if he could get deer meat in those places, and as there are plenty of deer, one deer down won't count much. I felt so crushed to hear that from an educated person. I tried to explain him as much as i knew to make him understand the importance of conservation, and the loss of one wild animal is a huge loss. This, i've done to some more people whom i came across. A few minds changed from my side. I will continue to do this as long as i have the energy to speak.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sabyasachi Patra

I have been trying to raise funds for sponsoring a biologist for a course abroad to learn census techniques.

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I had gone through this earlier, and at that time i was running on fumes. Completely drained bank balance. Poor me! What can i do. I got my pay for last month, but within that time, i forgot about that and just remembered about the sponsorship after seeing your post. And i would like to contribute whatever little money i can afford. Sorry for the delay though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sabyasachi Patra

Till now the people who have contributed are very serious members, and hardly a handful of them are wildlife photographers with expensive Canon L series lenses. Sponsorship requirement for a workshop abroad - Indiawilds: Land of the Tiger. Conservation, Wildlife Photography, Communities

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I believe it is not about expensive lenses or anything. It is about how much a person actually loves nature, and how much a person realizes about the need to support such activities.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sabyasachi Patra

As IndiaWilds, we will definitely do many on the field activities in the future. All those activities will be carefully chosen so that it makes significant contribution to the conservation arena.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

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I will be looking forward to offer as much support as i can.

Dear Keerthy,
I was responding to the suggestion that we start a fund and ask members to contribute. It was not specifically meant to ask you to contribute. So please don't stretch yourself.

When that contribution post was started, I had no idea that I will get more than two members contributing. Now we have got half of the required funds. So I am very happy. As I have promised earlier, I will pay the shortfall.

Contributing towards conservation is a noble thing. It is voluntary. Only people who believe towards the cause should contribute else it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. I am happy that you felt like contributing. However, please don't stretch yourself to contribute. Your good will is enough.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

While I do not wish to take the discussion any furtehr since the publisher of the website has taken his decision, I still would like to remind you that the intended solution to the pamphlet being dumped again on the road side was that this pamphlet is supposed to be given back at the second checkpost. The reason for saying that it has to be given back is precisely to ensure that further garbage (read paper) is not thrown in the jungle.

Now, I really appreciate the website's intentions of putting up some serious conservation effort in future and hope to see that happen soon. However, I have been hearing this for quite some time now, precisely 2 years.

Regards

Thanks for your concerns!

Good to remind us that you have been around for 2 years here. Pointing a finger is easy. However, one should remember that when someone points a finger, three fingers point back at him. Let us know what have you done?

Though you may not be aware, or care to notice, people here know the contribution of IndiaWilds.

Membership of the IndiaWilds forums is free. There have been many wannabe photographers who have come, learnt photography here and have gone. What have they done for conservation or for contributing towards building this community? Except for remarks like this?

Whenever we have done any campaign and wrote letters to the authorities, I see very less response from these photographers. I am told that many photographers don't want to write protest letters to authorities, as they fear they may be on the bad books of the forest officials. The person (or persons) questioning IndiaWilds so called lack of action in conservation field, should first mention how many times he (they) wrote letters? There are other members who are not active but send the letter and copy mark me.

Every month the newsletter highlights an issue and it goes to people. That is being beefed up with original articles by biologists and conservationists. I haven't seen your comment in any of those articles. Probably, you don't read those?

The efforts to create films is primarily meant to document and raise issues. A "Call in the Rainforest" is the first such effort, which has been screened even in film festivals abroad and in India. I am sacrificing my photography to create films and raise awareness. The money I have spent could have been utilised in photographing in bandhavgarh/ranthambhore etc 3-4 months at a stretch for a few years. That would have got me several oohs and aahs. To me it doesn't matter.

In the past I have thought of having field offices. That costs a ton of money. I am a person who doesn't believe in firing people. When livelihoods of people depend on me, I will ensure that their future is secured. That is the positive (or you may say negative) part of my leadership philosophy. IndiaWilds will do a lot of field work. However, the immediate need was in advocacy which we are doing. We will take slow and deliberate steps. No amount of sarcastic comments like yours, can make me jump and do things which is not sustainable.

Perhaps you are too young to understand that someone has a mission in life. IndiaWilds is such a mission which will continue to grow steadily.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bhargava Srivari

Now, I really appreciate the website's intentions of putting up some serious conservation effort in future and hope to see that happen soon. However, I have been hearing this for quite some time now, precisely 2 years.

Regards

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First of all, I must urge members to understand that if sarcasm or disrespect was intended, I would have never stuck on to this forum for 2 years. It was a mere observation.

Further, purely since the question has been raised, I do not see the need for me to explain what I have done; neither have I claimed to be planning on-the-field conservation activities nor have I been running a conservation forum. All I did was to show serious interest in whatever this forum has/would plan to do in the future.

Also, again since the issue of wannabe photographers leaving this place in early days has been broached, perhaps there is something here that needs a slight correction? ( of course only if the publishers and moderators think it that members continuing to be active on the forum is of importance in the long run).

Regards

It is good to know that you have noted your observation. After reading your earlier post, it doesnt sound as a observation but as a accusation. If you wanted to tell your observation, you could have mentioned it differently. We are open to suggestions and observations and more active participation from everybody. Not everyone likes to take critiques and feel bad when they feel they are using great equipment and still someone points out that the image is not sharp or there are some other areas for improvement. So lot of people stop posting here and flock to photosharing sites where they get good shot and great shot comments. I have only seen you pointing one thing or the other in the previous comments.
There are lot of activities that we are doing here and that are planned. Because of his position in the corporate world, Sabyasachi is very circumspect about any activity that can harm his reputation. He interacts with Secretaries, Joint secretaries of MoEF and other ministries every week and still he points out the flaws in Government actions. It is always easy to blame someone for not doing enough. Once you start doing, then you will realise the enormity of the job.
I hope you will participate in the existing activities. If there are any suggestions please let us know.

Hello All,

Apparently, by feeling bad about different views expressed in the same interest we seem to be deviating from the core issue which is irresponsible tourism. It’d have been worthwhile if Bhargava had been pro-active and lodged a formal complaint (supported by the image as evidence) with the Range Forest Officer Bandipur.

Sharing such critical information amongst us & thus highlighting an issue is worthy of appreciation and needs to be encouraged but making a formal complaint (even if the Guide / driver dissuade you from doing so), following it up is perhaps the only way to ensure that the authorities not only take note of it but also act upon it and thereby prevent such disturbing acts of irresponsible tourism. As Sabyasachji rightly says, we need to keep writing to the concerned authorities in order to evoke appropriate action.

Each and every member (including yours truly) of IW keeps learning ways to make meaningful contributions to conservation and I’m sure Bhargava would too.

Dear Vijay,

Thank you for taking time off to comment. FYI, an official complaint was lodged at the DCF office of Bandipur tiger reserve on the afternoon of the same day. The complaint contained pictorial proof of the incident- pictures included those of the vehicle, the image seen here, and also that of a few people eating their breakfast on the roadside.

Cheers

Dear Bhargava,

Although your subsequent replies to the moderator's remarks perhaps seemed to be more of a retort, you did the right thing by lodging an official complaint with the authorities. It is imperative that you follow up with the authorities to ascertain if any concrete steps have been taken by them in the right direction. This menace needs to be stopped !