Dear All,

It made me sad that the disease of unethical bird watching / photography which emerged over the last 15 / 20 years has grown to such enormous scale, perhaps due to advancement in technology and easily available equipments – whether digital camera, powerful flashes, voice recorder or mobile phone. The market potential for such ‘rare’ items also increased due to mushrooming of glossy magazines, books, newspapers and even TV media. This is affecting our wildlife adversely and would further destroy our already endangered rare species of wildlife, particularly birds.

I have noted and written / talked about unethical nature observations / photography / collection over the last  25 years and there are simple ‘do’s and dont’s’ everyone needs to follow not only to enjoy Mother nature yourself but also to leave them undisturbed for the others to enjoy. Most of us are aware of such norms. However now we need to add more such guidelines / rules because of the advancement in technology and new methods.

Going in large groups in the wild regions, disturbing natural ecosystems with over-active movements (sometimes called ‘enthusiasm’!), loud noise, throwing litter (now plastic water bottles), getting drunk and out of control (including throwing empty bottles particularly in the streams), shouting and screaming with excitement when one sees something new, collecting rare plants / flowers / insects etc. are common flaws incurred by many ‘nature lovers’.

The next stage is more serious – climbing trees and inspecting nests, collecting nests and eggs, trying to go very close to wildlife to have a ‘better view’, encircling resting wildlife for tourists to get a closer look, getting down from the vehicle or elephant in the sanctuaries or in national parks (where one is not allowed to walk) to get a good picture of a rare butterfly or even to collect the same (this happens mostly by bribing forest guards / drivers / mahuts). This continues to the next stage of trading wildlife as collection items or mementos.

The next category is wildlife photographers – Nest photography with insensitivity by carrying out ‘gardening’ (removing leaves, weeds, grass etc. around the nest) to get a better or clear picture. In a process, the nests are left prone to predator’s attack and many times the birds are compelled to abandon them. The chicks are tortured or lured to open their beaks to get good poses etc. Powerful flashes are used to get ‘bright & beautiful’ pictures without considering that the creatures may get blind. Then finally to have the exclusivity of one’s rare picture, destroy the nest / animal so that no one else could get an opportunity. Many lure local tribal people take money to show nests or trap birds or attract them and animals using their traditional methods. Then this becomes another business for tribal who is cleverly termed as employment generation or poverty alleviation!

Relatively recent emergence is the use of tape recorders & players – This comes with some amount of graduation or advancement of one’s nature study endeavors. Many birds respond to the calls of their mates or colleagues. So this is used to track the birds, particularly rare, exclusive and crepuscular or nocturnal birds. The recorded calls are played in the wild and those rare birds are attracted or fooled to come near you so that you could have a ‘good’ look, take closer pictures and then laugh or enjoy how the foolishly bird was cheated. Many times cell phones are used to play this trick. This is being done in the remote forests (particularly Northeast region) not just by photographers but mainly by so called ‘wildlife tour organizers’. They guarantee you of showing rare bird or animal so that you join for such a tour by paying hefty amounts.

All this is happening because ‘Wildlife’ has become a big business and any business is likely to become exploitative. Unfortunately so called ‘nature lovers’ do not realize that they destroy the ‘part of nature’ which fetches them money or fame or name. It is more unfortunate that it is being rampantly done under the name of Nature Awareness or Study Programme

Many times good wild lifers tend towards these tricks due to ignorance, over enthusiasm, competition, jealously or one-up man ship. Even when they are cautioned they become defensive and continue in what they believe!

We must take strong action against this attitude and destructive behavior of a few individuals which brings a bad name to the most beautiful hobby and entire fraternity of nature lovers. I am sure the forest department will take appropriate action in this particular case, but the authentic nature groups should also take initiative to cure this disease.

It must be ensured that only serious wildlife researchers are allowed to collect data using right techniques for scientific purpose, and that too after obtaining requisite permissions from the forest department or authorities, no matter how difficult it may be.

We need to inculcate simple ethics in upcoming nature lovers by making them experience and enjoy the natural ecosystem. Calls, pugmarks, scratch marks, smells etc. are the evidences of the existence of wildlife in the ecosystem and one should enjoy the excitement of being a ‘nature detective’. This would give you satisfaction; provide you more enthusiasm even though you may not have ‘seen’ a single creature. Seeing is of course fun and that eventually comes when you become ‘wild’, go on again and again without disturbing the natural environment and become a part of ecosystem. Such love for nature would contribute to wildlife study and nature conservation.

We should enjoy nature by following simple ethics of doing what is good for wildlife.

Prof. Ulhas Rane

Bangalore

Moderator, Maharashtrapakshi-mitra