“We are strange mixtures of good and evil, of civilisation and barbarism, of the divine and the base. We talk in one language and act in another way. We hold aloft noble ideals and shout many slogans, but in our behaviour we belie them,” wrote Jawaharlal Nehru in his foreword to the 1964 book, The Wild Life of India, penned by English conservationist Edward Pritchard “E.P.” Gee. Nehru, in this brief note, advocated for wildlife conservation while simultaneously highlighting the disparity between our preaching and our actions regarding animal welfare. E.P. Gee, a pioneer of wildlife conservation in the Indian subcontinent, argued for the necessity of dedicated “foresters” in preserving forests and wildlife. Gee, like many others, believed that forest and wildlife conservation demanded specialised skill sets and couldn’t rely on blanket, one-size-fits-all rules and policies. Years later, numerous scholars expanded on this notion, concluding that collaborating with forest-dwelling communities is among the most effective methods for protecting forests and their wildlife.
Tribal communities play a crucial role in forest and wildlife conservation worldwide, with historical examples illustrating their efforts. For instance, the Yanomami tribe in Brazil practices sustainable hunting and resource management, safeguarding biodiversity, and combating deforestation. Similarly, the Maasai people of Kenya have coexisted with wildlife for centuries, employing rotational grazing and minimal resource extraction practices. Their involvement in ecotourism initiatives both promotes conservation and sustains community income. The Kayapo tribe of Brazil is renowned for their fierce resistance to deforestation, actively patrolling their territory, apprehending illegal loggers, and raising awareness about the Amazon’s ecological significance. Many of these communities possess full legal powers and protections.
Numerous studies over the past few decades have underscored the importance of engaging tribal communities in wildlife conservation rather than displacing them to “protect” forests and their animal inhabitants. As observed by Amrita Sen in her 2022 work, A Political Ecology of Forest Conservation in India: Communities, Wildlife, and the State, “conservation methods were largely decentralised” as enforcement of restrictive measures faced collective resistance from forest dwellers against bans on their customary rights. Despite such evidence, collaborative and decentralised approaches remain elusive in India’s forests and among its tribal communities. Sen notes that recent protectionist measures, such as the militarisation of conservation to combat poaching and trafficking, have resulted in widespread infringement on the rights of forest-dependent communities.
In India, policymaking remains entangled in a web of pragmatism that views tribal communities and their centuries-old practices as obstacles to progress and conservation. These policies, once implemented, displace forest communities from their lands, posing a serious threat to their cultures and existence. The Korkus in Madhya Pradesh represent a poignant example, as they are forcibly removed from their ancestral lands in an official bid to assimilate them into the mainstream. Located within the Melghat Tiger Reserve, this tribal community faces an existential crisis. For the Korkus, the tiger is revered as their maternal uncle, referred to as “Koola mama”, with whom they coexist. However, our systems and processes fail to comprehend this harmonious relationship. In the latest edition of Frontline, Vrushal Pendharkar reports from the Melghat Tiger Reserve on how our civilized policies are failing these communities.
Nehru’s words, highlighting the “strange mixtures” within us, ring truer than ever in India’s approach to wildlife conservation.
Read Vrushal’s story here and share your comments as usual.
Wishing you a great week ahead,
For Team Frontline,
Jinoy Jose P.
We hope you’ve been enjoying our newsletters featuring a selection of articles that we believe will be of interest to a cross-section of our readers. Tell us if you like what you read. And also, what you don’t like! Mail us at frontline@thehindu.co.in
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