Man the creator and the destroyer - unfortunately, the arrogance of the man has far-reaching implications for the world we live in. No other animal in the lifetime of this planet has done as much harm to the environment and it just does not seem to stop. I will take a very small example and build my case around it.
The case is - look at the television/or any media and look out for the selling point of the car/SUVs and other similar vehicles that are advertising the offroad mobility. The commercials influence us so much that we feel proud as to put our print on every patch of grassland, every dune of sand and even barren rock. This, unfortunately, has an impact on the environment that we are too arrogant to even acknowledge. Below are the pictures of two ground-dwelling birds that stay amongst us and nest on the ground. Every time we put our print on that piece of land - that is pristine - we risk destroying a generation of birds or animals that call that place their home.
During one of the birding trip, I photographed below, an Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark that stood on a rock intently looking at me. Well, it was the breeding season and the stare made me uncomfortable. I looked intently at a patch of grass near to where I was standing - and it took me almost an hour of moving carefully to understand why the bird was not at ease. Look at the pictures below to get a sense.
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| Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark with that look on its face |
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| Do you see anything in this patch? |
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| How about now? |
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| How about now? See the three chicks? |
One careless step can spell the end of a generation of this bird. I have visited Europe, the US, and Australia for birding and I see the difference - they try and enforce conservation by marking out areas as breeding spots and even punishing those who violate these places. In India however - we are still a million miles from respecting our nature - and that is a shame since we pray and worship almost all forms of life that are there.
Another problem that I face very regularly is the aggressive bird photographer - who - to get that perfect shot does not respect these boundaries.
This is the fragility of mother nature and all things small and big. And that we call our mother deserves to be looked after by us. So next time you are out in a beautiful grassland/or a desert or an otherwise lifeless patch of ground - stick to the tracks already made by others and do not be blind to the cost of trying and leaving your print on a track that may have a place called heaven hidden somewhere for a creature small that cannot call out for itself. Be responsible towards other forms of life and make sure that you carry this message to others.
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| Another bird that makes a nest just like the one above - the Syke's Lark |
