• Sir-Through this column, the Flora and Fauna Conservation Youth Organisation (FFCYO) would like to make an earnest appeal to the people to discourage and desist the harmful and unethical acts of destruction of protected forest lands, natural sites of beauty and brutal killing and capturing of wild animals and also cruelty shown towards speechless and innocent domestic and stray animals.
Nagaland is truly a blessed land with its Flora accounting for almost 100 percent medication and with its Fauna comprising of various beautiful and rare wildlife species, which, if really upgraded and cared for, has the potential to become a natural paradise.
But, sadly, what we have been engaged in for all these years is reckless destruction of trees, pollution of environment, cruel hunting and capturing of wild animals, just for the sake of earning money, making fun or a 10 minute meal.
Take for instance the Blythe’s Tragopan which is considered as the official bird of the state. But, if we really put forward a question. How many of us have truly been able to witness the beauty flying alive and free in the air these days? Then, the answer will truly be a sad one. Many people know what it looks like only because of its posters found in some government offices.
This is not the case with Tragopan alone but reckless hunting has set many such beautiful and rare wildlife species on the verge of extinction. Here, even a five year old child is a hunter.
He moment he sees a bird perched nearby, he will pick up a stone and throw at it, though he least hopes that he would be successful, he would still throw the stone just for throwing sake. It is alarming that Dimapur has almost become ‘No-bird-pur’.
We are not entirely against usage of timber of meat consumption, but can’t we be more judicious in our usage of forest goods and at least spare the wildlife.
Moreover, we can always take up plantation and conservation of the wildlife. It is high time that we rectify our errors before the situation gets out of our hands and if it does then the day is not far when the upcoming generations will witness the forest and wildlife only in books and hear about them only in folktales.
Lastly, we would like to remind all people to acknowledge and understand the blessings and essentiality of ‘Mother Nature’, which has showered countless blessings on humanity since time immemorial, ranging from provision of food, shelter, clothing, medication, to protection from storms, soil erosion, to balance in temperature, making of rains, production of life-giving oxygen and many such boons.
So, come lets help her and prove that we are not thankless, are we?
Paul Vitsu
President
Flora & Fauna Conservation
Youth Organisation
Dimapur, Nagaland
