01:27
Tiger population is increasing in India as biodiversity is in India’s culture: PM Modi
This book comes on the heels of the latest tiger number in indian increased to 3167 and project tiger Has completed 50 years of fruitful work in conservation and protection of tigers in the country.
‘Preserve the Big 5’
In an email conversation, Green talked about the need to preserve the ‘Big 5’ species: tigers, lions, elephants, gorillas and polar bears.
“India now has a huge global responsibility to conserve tigers and forests, as tigers have been wiped out from other parts of the world,” says Green. An Essay on Tigers: “As long as one can hear the awe-inspiring roar of a tiger in the wild, there is hope that all is well with the world. However, much more work needs to be done to protect forests and tiger corridors.”
03:51
PM Modi boasts of phenomenal success of Project Tiger, announces increase in tiger population from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,167 in 2022
human-wildlife conflict
Green also commented on various related issues like human-wildlife conflict and how the next 10 years are crucial for the conservation of endangered species around the world, besides how to manage this issue.
In a metropolis like Mumbai alone, which has the Sanjay Gandhi National Park on its northern edge, the sighting of leopards in urban areas once again tells the story of how there is pressure to further reduce forest cover, including buffer areas like Aarey Colony, which, therefore, threaten wildlife habitats. further reduces it, causing major predators such as leopards to literally jump over human settlements.
On the shocking human-wildlife conflict in Maharashtra a few years back, in which the state government ordered the culling of a man-eating tigress named Avni, Green did not want to comment directly on the sensitive issue.
However, he added generally: Human-wildlife conflict and habitat loss are major challenges facing wildlife in India and many other parts of the world. As human populations are expanding, they are coming into closer contact with animals.
“We all need to understand and appreciate what it’s like for local people to live alongside animals like lions or elephants or tigers, animals that can be a threat to their crops, livestock and livelihoods.”
Conservation organizations around the world are working on inventive ways to make coexistence possible, such as deterrents for lions and elephants, or barriers to keep poachers away. Coexistence requires serious investment, because with the growing human population, wildlife is at risk. And we can’t afford to lose any more wildlife,” he says.
The “Big Five” species that need to be protected today are lions, tigers, elephants, gorillas, and polar bears.
There are many photographers from India in the book, including Sudhir Shivaram, Shivang Mehta, Sandesh Kadur, Aishwarya Sridhar, Ramakrishnan Aiyaswamy, Priyanshi Bachhawat Nahata, Aarzoo Khurana, Shibu Preman and Latika Nath, as well as photographers from Botswana, China, Kenya, Ecuador, Kuwait, Mexico, Brazil, Japan.
The book features many great women photographers and African, Asian and Latin American photographers.
The New Big 5 is a global call to action, added Green, voiced by some of the foremost conservationists on Earth.
The book features 226 majestic images from 146 globally renowned photographers including Amy Vitale, Marcel van Oosten, Paul Nicklen, Steve McCurry, Karine Egner, Brian Skerry, Frans Lanting, Marina Cano, Beverley Joubert, and creative photographers of creatures in their natural habitats. Photos are included. Gurcharan Rupra, Thomas Mangalsen, Lucas Bustamante, Suzy Eszterhas, Paul Hilton, Christina Mittermeyer, Gail R Vande Weghe, Daisy Gilardini, Steve Winter, Qiang Zhang, Art Wolfe, Shannon Wilde, Will Burrard-Lucas, David Lloyd, Sergey Gorshkov, Jonathan and Angela Scott, Thomas Vijayan, Tony Wu and many more.
The book also includes essays by prominent conservationists, including Jane Goodall, Paula Kahumbu (CEO/Founder, Wildlife Direct), Tara Stoinski (CEO, Dion Fossey Gorilla Fund), Christa Wright (Executive Director, Polar Bears International), Anish Andheria ( CEO) are included. , Wildlife Conservation Trust), Moreangels Mbizah (Executive Director, Wildlife Conservation Action), Dominic Gonsalves (Manager, Elephant Ecology Project at Gorongosa National Park), and Wes Sechrest (CEO, Re:Wild).
Finally, on the recent import of cheetahs from Africa to India, the author comments: “The move of cheetahs from Africa to Asia was highly debated with many critical voices from Indian conservationists, as it was an expensive and risky strategy. Africa to India and I understand their concerns. Now that it’s done, I hope it works for the cheetahs.”
01:10
Twelve leopards from South Africa will come to India on February 18
He adds: “Also, grasslands are important for wildlife (such as cheetahs). So are forests, so are sources of rivers, lakes and seas. Wild animals often need space, pasture, places to roam and live.” are needed. In a world with expanding human population, the battle for space is a major issue.”