This Royal Bengal pregnant tigress was saved from agitated and scared villagers in the Sundarbans, by the Forest Department personnel. The cat had inadvertently strayed into a West Bengal village. There perhaps she attacked the cattle and the villagers tried to stone her to death. It’s amazing how fast the Forest Department people reached the spot and rescued the traumatized animal.
In The Pioneer (our newspaper) there was scathing editorial terming the villagers as barbarians. Even the previous day there was a screaming headline on the first page. Although such news is sensational and encourages us to further stereotype the tribals and the villagers living around jungles I think they are the least responsible for the destruction of plants and animals the world over. Take for instance this case, if a tigress enters your village and attacks your cattle and your loved once are you going to worry about tiger conservation and animal cruelty at that time? Hardly. By all means you will try to kill the animal. Don’t we try to chase away and if that is not possible kill the insects that enter our houses lest they sting someone?
It’s people living in the cities who are actually responsible for the destruction of flora and fauna because they have least regard for the environment. They indiscriminately use products made of scarce natural resources and they pollute the air with their vehicles and other appliances. New settlements and colonies are constantly being set up on the areas cleared of jungles. The ever-increasing population puts constant pressure on the supply of food and consequently more forest area has to be cleared.
Anyway we are constantly criticizing the people working in the Forest Department. This time they showed an exemplary courage by saving the animal, getting it properly treated and then releasing it back into its original habitat. They deserve lots of praise.
[tags]royal bengal tiger, sundarbans, west bengal[/tags]
