VICTIM, YET ANOTHER..., NOV-2013

LTM – Lion Tailed Macaque, a primate indigenous of Western Ghats.

Not a single expression seen, of the flagship species of Western Ghats, in the above photographs are inherent to their character. Lion Tailed Macaques are among the rarest and most endangered of Primates and they are confined to Western Ghats of Southern India. On a recent trip to Valparai I was treated to the visual delight of watching these interesting primates in their natural habitat. It was a privilege to watch these Primates in the wild for they are listed as “EN” (Endangered) in the IUCN Red List (International Union for the conservation of Nature) and with only three more categories ahead CR (Critically endangered), EW (Extinct in the wild), EX (Extinct); it was indeed a matter of pride to watch these shy creatures just beside the state highway connecting Valparai with the plains below. Just as I pulled myself out of the surprise these primates stuffed me into with their presence so near to Human Interference, I realized I was looking into the eyes of yet another victim to Human intervention. LTM’s are unlike other Macaques, they dodge human presence and don’t inhabit or pass through human habitations. They avoid even living in man made plantations and are wary to such an extent that they ensure their routes of passage don’t intersect with those of humans. But the sight I was standing witness to was re-writing science, re-writing facts and re-writing nature itself as the LTM’s peeped into every other car, which stopped by to witness their presence, and instinctively grabbed the food the owners threw in their direction. I have never seen anything like this before and the flagship species of Western Ghats being reduced to “Circumstantial” beggars just couldn’t be accepted by my “nature” obsessed mind. LTM’s are such powerful characters that they formed part of the “Influential rationales” that led to Save silent valley campaign and they indeed, succeeded in saving Silent valley (Kerala). Just a thought of the LTM brings to me the charm of Western Ghats, of the beautiful valleys, of the gorgeous canopies and the majestic Rainforests these primates inhabit. The biggest threat to these primates is loss of habitat and their inherent shyness that prevents them from occupying potential habitats in proximity to a Human settlement. But an even bigger threat is this act of “Beggary” hitherto unseen in LTM’s behavior and caused by Human intervention. LTM’s are a majestic representation of the “Uniqueness” of Fauna and Flora spread across the Western Ghats and it’s a shame; we have reduced them to beggars. It’s time we stopped our interventions into nature’s plans, stood far away and watched the drama. We don’t have the right to direct natural processes, good or bad; and they are intended to be executed for a reason. Let’s stop feeding the LTM’s and help them emerge out of this act of beggary and instill the “lost charm” of their lives. The joy of seeing an endangered species lies in the search that leads us to them, not in the search of food that brings them to us. It’s high time we send the LTM’s back deep into the forests and protect them from the vulnerabilities of human proximity. The sight of a dozen LTM’s begging around the cars rapidly melts the “endangered” tag associated with them and they are viewed as any other normal monkey. The only solution to this loss of identity lies, again; in human intervention and this time by the authorities to step up the now fragile surveillance and protect the LTM’s with the strong arm of enforcement. Looking away from enforcement, think for a moment – Do you accept your child being fed by a stranger on the road with his dirty hands? That is common sense, leave the LTM’s alone and they know to survive better than us.

It’s neither fun nor sympathy to feed a wild animal; it’s the crime of disturbing nature’s order.