VALMIK THAPAR: A Man who Roars for Wild Tigers

January 28, 2012, 2:51 pm 

by Rohan Wijesinha

Valmik Thapar is a big man! Not just physically, but his aura fills any room that he is in, and encaptures those others in it. This large presence is fuelled by passion, an almost religious zeal, to protect the Tigers of his beloved homeland, India and its people - for he is well aware that the final destiny of his beloved Tigers will also determine the future of India. The conservation of the wildlife and wild places of the World is primarily about people. For without them, we too would die!

This was Mr. Thapar’s first visit to Sri Lanka. On holiday in the Maldive Islands, with his family, he was persuaded to extend his holiday to Sri Lanka for a few days by long-time friend, Nirmala de Mel, Vice President of Ruk Rakaganno, the Conservation Group, which organized an illustrated presentation made by him to the public on January 9, 2012 at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies on "Tigers in the Wild". And so it was that not long after landing at Katunayake, Mr. Thapar found himself facing a packed auditorium, bursting at the seams, and they were not disappointed.

He concentrated on his beloved Ranthambore National Park where he has studied the Tiger for over 30 years, and come to know and understand each and every of these magnificent creatures that reside in the refuge of its protection. He watched some of them grow from cub to maturity, rejoiced in their successes and grieved when they disappeared or died, usually at the brutal hands of the poachers.

This was not just a lecture on tigers and conservation; it was a story of the Tiger in Indian History. Mr. Thapar has traced the Tiger through ancient Indian literature and painting, and finds that its presence has dominated the culture of this vast sub-continent for many thousands of years. The Tiger plays prominent role in the religions of India, they were the prey and the playthings of its royal dynasties, it was celebrated in art and poetry and writing, and it was revered for its importance to the balance of nature and the health of the environment. In fact, India and the Tiger are bound spiritually in an eternal knot that if broken will spell the doom of both.

Of course this was all interspersed with exquisite photographs of tigers in all postures and circumstances, and fascinating video clips of their behaviour. Prominent amongst these was a clip of a tigress fighting and killing a fully grown Marsh Crocodile, a truly awesome spectacle. The tigress had cubs, and such is the power of the maternal protective instinct.

And from the sublimely beautiful, to the barbaric realities of our time - of exploitation and corruption, the destruction of forest and environment, of the creatures of the wild, and of this beautiful animal. Lurking behind it all the short-sighted, exploitative policies of ‘elected’ government who seem to believe that this, ours, is the final generation, and have nothing but contempt for the future, and for their children, and for the generations to come!

In this environment of self-interest, where the bleating of sycophants is preferred to the teachings of wise men, it is no wonder that the statutory organizations entrusted with the protection of wildlife and wild places have long since abdicated their role to the whims and desires of their political masters. Without this constitutionally empowered protection, these pristine places and perfect natural creations are doomed.

Thapar loves Tigers too much to roll over and watch them driven to extinction. He roars with as much power as his precious animals when contemplating the future and calls for the passion and commitment of all true conservationists to assist him. He believes that the statutory organizations no longer have the ability to make this, what may be a ‘Last Stand’ for the last remnants of the natural heritage of his country. It must be done in collaboration with non-governmental organizations, institutions and private enterprise, albeit under the control of strict regulations and laws that place the emphasis on conservation.

He draws as an example the successes made in Africa where, most importantly, the local human inhabitants residing in the areas adjacent to the Safari Parks gain financially from the Park’s existence. Suddenly, rather than being a curse to their expansion, it is a vital source income which enhances their quality of life. No longer a curse, the Park becomes a blessing that must be preserved.

The frequent accusation hurled at conservationists, usually by politicians, is that they are anti-development. This is far from the truth. What conservationists champion is sustainable development that will ensure that these potential sources of income to the State and to the people, the Wildlife Parks and their creatures, will be preserved for the future, rather than be exploited to swift destruction. Of course, those who wish to enjoy it, must pay for it, and for its long-term preservation. Quality, not quantity, should be the aim of the protectors and providers.

And how relevant is Thapar’s message to the cause of conservation in Sri Lanka? Read the daily accounts in the newspapers of habitat destruction, the human – elephant conflict, poaching, the pollution of lakes and rivers and of the environment in general, and of encroachment into the protected areas, and the conclusion can soon be reached that conservation in Sri Lanka is facing its ‘Last Stand’ too! Conservationists must resist the enticements of position, so readily on offer to those who will tow the path of political whim and wish, and stand together for what is right, the continued protection of the remaining wild places and wild creatures of this nature-blessed isle. For unlike India, we have smaller places left.

Sri Lankans must follow Thapar’s example and roar for conservation; Thapar for his Tigers and Sri Lankans for all of the wide variety of biodiversity which adorns this country’s wild forests and plain and is under serious threat. If not, the future will curse us for our failure!