Let's go wild for wildlife!

Wildlife has a wide range of ecological, economic and cultural significance. It is the cornerstone of tourism and we humans have a strong bond with them. Each one of us has at least one animal who holds a special place in our hearts because of some qualities they embody. 

My favourite animal is the Royal Bengal Tiger who represents every other animal on Earth. It depicts luxury, royalty, passion, camouflage, anger, solitary, fortitude, courage and pride. It is unique from every other big cat and loves to do things in his own way. The reality is that I find myself sharing some similar characteristics with it. To me it is like an inspiration but for the larger sector it is the true spirit of India. So, let us save it from the crisis it is facing right now. Let us as human beings become more benevolent towards it. 

Here I am not only talking about the crisis faced by the Royal Bengal Tiger but I am emphasizing on the condition of the wildlife ecosystem as a whole. This ecosystem has gone haywire over the past years with constant threats and challenges being faced by animals. The world's wildlife is under attack from habitat destruction, illegal wildlife trade, pollution and climate change. Recently there have been frequent fire breakouts in Australia and Amazon which draw our attention to how fragile and unkempt these ecosystems are. More than half of the world’s original forests are destroyed and what remains is being cut down. The growing ocean temperatures and melting Arctic ocean ice is impacting the marine biodiversity, which in turn is shifting vegetation zones and forcing species to adapt to new conditions. If I command you to move to a new place every now and then, would you ever be able to adapt to the foreign surroundings? If we can’t, then how can we expect the animals to do so. The ecosystems on which we and all other animals depend on today is deteriorating at a faster rate than ever before. Over the years, the illegal wildlife trade has evolved to become the fourth largest criminal industry in the world. We because of our greed are making wildlife bleed. Instead of living with animals in harmony, we are killing them for leisure, leather, food which is such a tragic irony. 

Before we realise it, this issue will become so huge that there would be no looking back. In order to not encounter such an ordeal in future, we would have to start by finding some potential solution today. It is high time to join, volunteer, pitch in, restore, adopt and speak up for wildlife conservation. There are over 7 billion people on the planet. If each of us made a daily commitment to do something for the wildlife, no matter how insignificant, even these small acts can have a big effect. 

Apart from just making public awareness of this issue, we need to pay more attention to increased urbanization, rising temperatures and ecotourism, which are negatively affecting wildlife. One of the other prominent solutions to stop animal trafficking is to shop mindfully and responsibly by not purchasing products made from parts of endangered animals. Put your trash where it is supposed to be: The Dustbins. Reuse the things you already own. Restore the homes of these animals by planting native trees and restoring wetlands. In the end, promote biodiversity and make your home friendly to wildlife. It has been very eloquently noted that until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened. Let us awaken this unawakened soul of ours.

Afterall, the greatness of a nation and its moral progress is judged by the way its animals are treated. How do you want your nation to be interpreted as?