By Anish P Joseph
The raging debate today in India is not Covid, but the death of a pregnant wild elephant in Kerala. She died after eating a pineapple filled with crackers. It’s true the image of her body floating in the river was immensely saddening and the expression of grief from genuine animal lovers is justified. Initially some sources claimed that the elephant was deliberately harmed and later it turned out the fruit-trap was set for wild boars. And that added oil to the already raging fire and ire of vested interests who are always in the lookout to demean Kerala and its people.
With utmost respect to all forms of life, humans and animals alike, let me present the other side of the story.
Are humans entitled to kill any other living beings including animals. The answer is big NO.
But it is acceptable to kill for food. Chicken, mutton, fish are part of human diet. And so are plants. And yes, plants also feel pain. It’s been proven, scientifically. So the vegetarian and vegan arguments too fail in many respects. But that’s a topic for another time.
The natural food chain is not just composed of herbivores. If that’s so all carnivores should be turned into vegetarians or systematically killed off as per the views of section in our society.
We are a primarily agrarian society. So, when their produce is destroyed by pests and rodents, what should they do? Northern India is currently being ravaged by locusts. Are the animal lovers standing with the crop-killing pests? And what about rats? Aren’t they killed everywhere?
Killing a wild animal for sport is heinous than when it is done for self-defence and to protect livelihoods. I strongly believe killing any wild animal is against law is punishable and does not go along with a cultured society.
Let’s come the issue at hand.
Did someone give the pineapple purposefully to the elephant? No.
The farmers were forced to use this tactic to counter the wild boar menace because the forest officials did not do anything constructive to help despite repeated complaints.
Authorities have to give them a solution. Asking the people to forego their livelihood is also not justified. We have to find ways to cohabit.
And those who lament these actions by desperate farmers conveniently forget that Karnataka once planned to allow hunting wild boar to protect farms.
Killing of wild boar is also against the law in Kerala. And being a state that maintains law and order better than any other in India, Kerala will ensure to punish the culprit/s. Already suspects have been arrested.
Protestors and armchair animal lovers should also check Kerala’s track record in forest and wildlife conservation. Just because we are a group of people who like their non-vegetarian dishes as much as the vegetarian fare does not make us poachers and killers by default.
Since a majority of those proclaim love for animals and the forest live in concrete jungles that were made by clearing forests and destroying habitats of countless species. And just having a pet dogs and cats does not make one an animal activist.
The area where I live in Bangalore was full of mango trees just 30-40 years back and there were so many monkeys around here. There are some big wild trees behind the residential area and there are monkeys too. Sometimes these monkeys come to the residential area, and people chase them away with sticks and even crackers. The same people will go the comforts of their homes and boast about animal/pet love etc on social media and such.
People’s love, towards humans or other creatures, are selective. Elephants are beautiful, but monkeys are pests. Cats are cute but rats are disease carriers and must be eliminated. My child is valuable, yours not as much.
So, what I would like to say in conclusion is please use your intellect and common sense before making ignorant and insensitive comments against others whom you perceive to be wrong. And so-called animal lovers, don’t shed crocodile tears, when your love is limited to just some particular species. Don’t put the crocodiles to shame.
Be wise, inquire and find the truth… Jai Hind
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