Tigers and Ecosystem

Tigers play an important role in maintaining the ecosystem. As they are on top levels of their kingdom, they are the true rulers or rajas of the Indian jungles. Here are some facts about tigers which you really find silly at once, but they are not so silly in reality.

Tigers depend on grass!

You must be thinking that this person must have gone crazy that he is making such statements. We all know that tigers are top carnivores then how come they depend on grass? But in nature each organism is dependent upon other organism. You must have heard of food chains. Billions of these food chains exist in nature and their each level is called trophic level. Plants such as grasses form the basis of most of food chains on land as they have ability to carry out photosynthesis. Herbivores like Axis deer or chital and sambhar that form the prey basis of tigers feed upon these grasses that are further preyed upon by tigers. So, isn’t that amazing, although not directly tigers are indirectly dependent on grasses.

Tigers bring rains!

“What a foolish quote?” you must say that. Tigers don’t dance to bring rains! But in reality tigers do help in bringing rains. The simple funda is that tigers protect forests by keeping the number of herbivores in check. Without tigers these herbivores will eat up all the forests. In general forests help in cloud formation by contributing lots of water vapour in the atmosphere that they release during the process of evapo-transpiration. Thus, the same concept is proved that in nature everything is interconnected.

Tigers nurture healthy deer population!

“This time you have totally got it wrong”, you must say that. How come tiger nurture its prey? In reality, tigers generally feed upon the diseased individuals as they are easy to catch. Healthy deer generally escape from tigers as they are very agile. Thus, by feeding upon diseased individuals, the tigers maintain healthy deer population.

 

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Tiger, tiger burning bright under flames of human greed

The fading stripes

Today, while going through newspaper, I was startled when my eyes caught hold of one of the columns which reads that actual number of tigers left in India is even less than stated 1,411 mark. This news was confirmed by none other than the Environment Minister himself. This is a disgraceful moment for all of us. It’s the time for action than just a debate. The majestic golden striped cat is not only a National symbol but also an emblematic species for our forest conservation movement. In the beginning of 1901, forty thousand tigers roam freely in our jungles but in early part of this century, less than 2000 of them left. The merciless killing of these gentle felines for their meat and bones, indicate the heights of human cruelty and apathy towards its fellow species on Earth. What happened in Sariska and Panna, was fair enough to expose our materialistic intentions. Imagine a situation without these roaring beauties; our jungle will take a deserted look. God forbid, if this will occur the whole cascade of ecosystem interactions will be affected. Jungles without tigers will be a tempting pie for people who generally didn’t enter the forest because of the fear of tigers. These goons will now be free to enter the forest and plunder it from its natural resources.

The time has come for all of us to take a serious step forward towards saving our National animal. The time has come for government to revive its policies and get it freed from the clutches of red- tapism. The clock is ticking fast and the time is running out from hands. We have to understand the warning signals and jot down ourselves for taking a concrete action. Let’s save the tiger before its roars fade away from our jungles. If this happens, our future generations won’t forgive us.

Please give your valuable suggestions and help in creating an awareness network to save the tiger.

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Biodiversity: My Compassion

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The word ‘environment’ has become a fave ingredient of conversations these days. Global warming, ozone depletion, pollution, sustainability and other environmental issues are making front headlines in the newspaper dailies. The media and NGO guys are in the fore run to promote themselves as green ambassadors. In all this process, issues related to native biodiversity have largely remained unaddressed.

But what is our native biodiversity? Which trees are native to India or to Delhi? Why to be so much apprehensive about their conservation? How it matters to me if one or two native tree species get extinct?

For most of us greening campaign means planting beautiful exotic plants which we get through consultation of any local mali. We plant them with great delight in our gardens or balconies and get ourselves labelled as a proud member of the green brigade. But are these plants native? Do they fulfill any ecological role other than greening? Most of them or what I can say, the entire list of ornamental plants is full of non-native plants which are as foreign to our country as Mr. Obama. For most of us, the list of tree species ends with only four and five names. We fail to recognize the use and conservation value of many plant species and neglect them by calling jangli. Innumerable number of birds, insects, mammals and molluscs depend on these native plants for their basic need of food and shelter. Our uncouthness pushes more and more species towards dreaded mouth of extinction. Losing our biodiversity without knowing about it is like burning a library containing scores of unread books.

Nature has bestowed India with exuberant diversity of flora and fauna. The vivid landscapes and climatic conditions support diverse range of flora and fauna. Even a dry region like Delhi can support mind-boggling number of species. The vast biodiversity is in peril, thanks to human activities such as deforestation, construction of roads, railways and dams, uncontrolled urbanization, pollution and climate change. Biological invasion of species has become a major reason for extermination of many native species. Delhi is not an exception to this. Many so-called good-looking aesthetic plants that had been brought from nooks and corners of the world in the past have now become a serious nuisance and an ecological menace. Prosopis julliflora or vilayati keekar that was imported from Mexico by the British has led to extirpation of native tree species of Delhi Ridge like Anogiessus pendula (dhau),  Sterculia urens (kullu), Boswellia serrata (salai) and Albizia odoratissima (kala siris).

About my efforts

It all started way back in 2004 when I came to live in this DDA colony. I found large swathe of an empty park behind my apartment, where nothing else than small weeds were growing. As you all know, there are two biodiversity parks in Delhi and the commendable job done by these guys has always been a source of inspiration for me. Then an idea got stuck in my mind, why not to come with my own mini biodiversity park. Soon I got involved in this and my dream started taking shape. I planted around 70 native shrubs and trees of more than forty species. Some of these tree species are Trewia nudiflora (gutel), Acacia catechu (katha), Terminalia bellerica (baheda),Terminalia arjuna (arjun), Madhuca indica (mahua), Pterocarpus marsupium (bijasal), Ehretia laevis (desi papdi), Diospyros cordifolia (bistendu), Salvadora persica (peelu) and so on. The shrubs include species like Adhathoda vasaca (bansa), Caesalpinnia bonducella (kantkarej) and Nyctanthes arbortristis (harsingar). As these trees started their growth, many bird species found them as a suitable site for performance of their melodious chorus. I have recorded as many as 40 bird species that include many rare ones like pied cuckoo, bay-backed shrike, grey francolin and so on. Many types of insects especially butterfly and beetles find the park, a suitable niche for themselves. I will add here the photographs of various species from time to time.

Why this blog?

The main motto behind writing this blog is to sensitize my young friends towards conservation of our native plant and animal species before they get wiped out forever from the face of the Earth. As a responsible human being, it’s a duty on our part to have compassion towards our fellow denizens on Earth.

My little conservation effort focuses on conservation of native plants of India and especially of Delhi region. I am planning to include more native species to this list soon. Come on friends let’s make a small effort by conserving our native species. You never know, when your small step will pave the way for a large change.

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