There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
10-19-2015, 10:18 PM( This post was last modified: 10-19-2015, 10:32 PM by Pckts )
(10-18-2015, 10:17 PM)Shardul Wrote: Thanks, Peter. I would love to contact Dicky and get him to start posting here. However, I don't know how to contact him. I had sent him a friend request on facebook earlier. Still waiting.
The article is amazing in details and covers every topic that was debated during that time. I personally witnessed the amount of filth that was being posted on social media against the poor guard that lost his life, the whole forest department and Dicky and other hotel owners, by the so called 'tiger activists'. In all this it was the conservationists like Ulhas Karanth, Valmik Thapar on one side and these facebook activists on the other. These are people who have seen and studied more tigers than anyone on earth, yet they were being called names and insulted repeatedly and their opinions dismissed. Not only this, their character was also maligned. I couldn't believe the amount of conspiracy theories that were being thrown around. The arguments being put forward were ridiculous and kept changing every minute. And for what? A proven man eater. These same people were silent when a far larger tragedy was occuring amidst all this, the NH7 expansion that would cut off Kanha & Pench. Plenty of tigers are being hunted even today and their habitat destroyed, yet these people are silent. These people were acting not like tiger lovers but like people whose pet dog had been taken away. And were bashing the same people who are working day and night to save the tigers. The forest guards of Ranthambhore had actually provided a written petition that if T24 wasn't taken away, they would stop all patrolling. The petition also mentioned the amount of social media abuse they were getting. All this was so sad to see.
Most tiger attacks happen on the edge of the reserve. So it's not like people are illegally entering the forests and are being killed. No one is stupid enough to venture deep in a forest filled with tigers. The attacks will continue to happen due to the presence of people around the reserves and their cattle which is too much of an attraction for tigers to pass.
You're a little harsh with these words I think.
There are no such thing as "fb activists"
They are just people, same as you and me.
Their opinions are just as valid as any others. It wasn't just amateurs with no idea what was going on, it was people from all over india, different reserves, forest departments, biologists and so forth. There will always be bad apples in any group uprising but the many outweigh the few. And I truly think the many are acting in what they think is best for wildlife and Tigers in general.
I definitely don't agree with the forest dep't being threatened but that comes with the territory, it unfortunately is a part of the profession they are in now a days. Not by their choice obviously but whether between locals or tourists, they cannot please all. Maybe if the gov'ts took a more active role with protecting them and financing them, it would be better, but it would never stop. Any time you try and "police" something, there will always be a controversy from something or someone.
"Plenty of tigers are being hunted even today and their habitat destroyed, yet these people are silent."
Remember, this topic goes hand and hand with what you stated here, these people having an uprising over Ustaad or Cecil is a good thing, not bad. It has brought mass attention from more than just that country, but the world. I think more and more people have become aware to the damage we have been doing for 100s of years and the trend is changing. I don't think we are silent bystanders anymore, people come together for many issues, the world has lots, so its hard to address every single one. But I truly believe the tables are shifting, whether its too little too late, may be another issue.
Its a shame that Ustad is gone, whether you agree or not, you have a valid point for either.
Like Peter wrote
"A detailed, very informing, well-written and interesting report on why male tiger T-24 was arrested, tried and sentenced. The charges were four counts of first degree murder and he was found guilty on all. No question whatsoever. The judge had no other choice."
and the flip side is ....
The law of Man holds no barring in nature. We can put our moral code in a book but nature will never read it. You don't live in California and not understand the risk of Earthquakes, you don't move to Oklahoma and expect tornadoes to stop spinning.
Wild animals are simply a part of nature, to expect them to follow our made up laws would be a foolish and dangerous road to trek.
I certainly am not saying that these people and guards don't understand the risk about where they live, but that doesn't mean they are more or less right than others.