An Indian pond Heron was an accidental visitor to our garden during the mid day. During the short time it was meandering in the garden, its body gestures indicated a fretful state. With the day time temperature crossing 35 degrees celsius, it might have been looking for shade and shelter.
The birds which thrive in aquatic conditions begin to migrate to cooler and marshy places as the summer sets in. When they do not find wet lands, they look for shelter in domestic environment.
The avian life is subject to many environmental factors, more so if marshy places and water bodies are no more hospitable.
The harsh realities of inhospitable environment, for water birds often get highlighted by environmentalists and bird watchers.
We have three water ponds in our garden. One of them is easily accessible to birds. We have regular visitors to this pond. Although there is a stream below our property, some water birds come to this pond. The stream below has many contaminants.
The stress of daily living birds face is disturbing to watch! We find foxes wandering in our garden at night. It is the first time in the last 14 years since we started living here, we find rodents, reptiles and foxes meandering in our property. The squirrels and bats live on the fruits in the garden.
Our reluctance to use insecticides or pesticides or herbicides was intentional to allow the garden to be a natural environment.
I pick up a larger message from these changes around us. The human-animal interface has broken down.
The garden space is regressing even in rural areas. During the last three years seven new houses have come up in our neighbourhood. The open spaces for birds and reptiles have been overtaken for human dwellings.
I wonder if the local governing bodies would consider to create garden spaces in all localities where people move in to build houses to live!
The threat that we face even in rural areas, is densely populated areas without open spaces, parks, gardens or play grounds !
A green environment and an ecological equilibrium, seem to be low in the priority of the local governing bodies!
I remember growing up in my childhood, with each compound around a house having coconut trees, banana plantations, vegetable or herbal garden and space to rear cows, goats, chicken etc. This is rare now!
The use of every space for monetising it is a recent compulsive habit!
Is not life destined to be a celebration of 'tilling the ground' and living from the yield!
When the farmers in Punjab are in protest against the denial of minimum price for their farm produce with one farmer critically ill after having been on hunger strike for over six weeks, one wonders if people in authority have become callous to feel and care!
I wonder if political leaders care enough to act jointly to save people from their distress!
The president elect of the USA, currently using threatening language to make the neighbour country, Canada dysfunctional is a frightening situation. The principles of justice, fairness, and integrity seem to have been buried for the sake of authoritarian rule. The soul of democracy, liberty, equality and freedom seem to get marginalised in a country where these values were highly honoured!
The accidental visit of an Indian pond Heron in our garden raised many thoughts of alarm in my mind!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment