Conservation paradox: Dealing with human-wildlife conflicts

Human-wildlife interactions are inevitable in human-dominated landscapes of Nepal. While much of these interactions pass by as plain sightings, some transpire into ‘conflicts’, causing losses to people and animals. Other than individual losses, conflicts can have more severe repercussions, notably reduced tolerance of people and retaliations towards wildlife. Addressing these concerns is critical for ‘sustained’ success in conservation.

Selfie of a habit: Trashing paradise.

Everybody loves a good selfie, including Prime Ministers. And like everybody else’s, their’s are just a drop in the global selfie ocean.

Lost in Babai

I have always been lost. I still am. If past is any indication of future, I will forever be lost.

I have come to accept this fact; even appreciate it. Thankfully, there still is so much in this earth to get lost into.

Like Babai valley..

Aping the ancestors: How monkey are you?

I’m sure you know by now humans evolved from primates (macaques and apes). In fact, some studies say we share up to 99% genetic similarity!

Music video: Time is running out..

Today is World Environment Day. A day when people working for the environment and nature reiterate ‘every day is environment day’. A day when most others continue life as usual. Others still, may not even know this day exists, or may not care. 

Photo-feature: Back to Bardia

Anything one says about Bardia National Park in west Nepal, would be an understatement. Such are the ways of the forest, anyway. You cannot describe it, well enough. You can only experience it.

Kathmandu in Crutches (Slide Show)

This day, last year, I was in McLeodganj in north India, for my near annual hedonistic pilgrimage. With my friends, staying at an isolated guest house. After a late breakfast, I was browsing through my twitter account to see what was going on in the world beyond.

Cash for Trash: The Clean Revolution – Mysuru

In December 2015, I quit my job for stories. I wanted to document individuals who are making a difference to society and environment, not waiting for government or NGOs or God to intervene.

One of the first that I got to know about was a ward in Mysuru, named Kumbarakoppal, through my young friend Akhilesh (who happens to be one of the most experienced, well-informed and socially-aware persons I know). I did not know it then, but Akhilesh told me that this was the cleanest in Mysuru. 

Being Nepali. In India.

Did you ask, how does it feel being a Nepali in India?

This post might have had just two words – ‘No different’. Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky to know this.

Personally, none of this would have mattered, if not for the blockade in Nepal, and the following incident:

Panty-national: The beginning

Naming is one of the most difficult things. We never think about it. But think about it.

A lot of you have been producing kids left, right and centre. You can’t just name your kid anything. Imagine calling someone that. Anything.

“Do you want anything?” or “Do you want Anything?” would mean two different things! So much confusion.

A lot of businesses have failed because they got the wrong name.

The latest one to go down the drain (almost) is Mysore Pak (a famous sweet…oops sorry.. I meant bitter.. from Mysore). Apparently, it’s now calling itself Mysore Halwa. Good job!

But what would have just blown it better would be Mysore Hind. In this day and age, nothing could better that. But beware! Don’t get the pronunciation wrong. Otherwise, you will get it there.

Sorry for digressing again. It just seems like the season for digressions. Everyone seems to be doing that. You start with head, you end in somebody’s hind. If you don’t know what I mean, try watching news debates on current affairs. The host talks today, the guests respond yesterday; or, host talks yesterday, guests respond today. Yeah, you get it; you’re not dumb.

Coming back to naming. I have had multiple problems with naming. Like naming my dogs. But I am glad we did well, me and my friends, at least in dog namakaran (Not my family though. Terrible names we gave our dogs at home). But business is something completely different. I haven’t been able to start so many enterprises because I never got beyond the attempts to name them!

This blog too would have been another non-starter, just because of the lack of the right name. But this time, I was not alone. 1 billion people helped me!

—

The first good idea that smacked me on the head when I seriously started thinking about blogging a few months ago, was ‘spread the word’. Unfortunately, like with most good ideas, I was too late. I would have loved to blog about ‘spread the legs’ but that would have been heavily censored. It would not be fun if it became ‘spread the beep’ now would it?

I was lost. I searched and searched (*dramatically) until I found the most popular word doing the round these days. Yes, you got it, you Anti-national fellow. And it’s to you and all those who named you that, that I credit this discovery to. So a BIG THANK YOU TO MY BILLION FRIENDS!

[There is in fact a short history here. I actually wanted to name it Aunty-national. But that just sounded like a Mallu anti-national. Apologies for the slang, but I like calling my Mallu friends Mallus. Like I am called Kancha or Bahadur or Babaji or Ching Chang. But not with hate. Moreover, aunty-national went against my masculinism. Then I thought and thought (*more dramatically), and finally found it!]

Panty-national is born!

So ‘panty-national’ will de-panty everything I want to talk about – serious issues, anti-serious issues, stupid issues, etc etc. About the earth, it’s environment, it’s protectors, it’s destroyers, about people and stories that inspire me, or not, and about general people I meet during my travels.. through text, images, videos, music, and any other forms of creation.

Except babies, which I don’t think I will have. I would like it if you didn’t too as there are too many already, but I am not judging. I know, everybody needs to create something. Because the Creator made us in her own form, and gave us the ability to create.

Only if you can’t create anything else, create babies. Just don’t name them anything; and definitely not Anything.

STATUTORY NOTES:
1. I will not be regular. I am unemployed. I am travelling. Internet connectivity is not always good. Maybe I am de-pantying my girl.

2. I will make grammatical errors. I will create new words. I will write how I please.

3. I do not mean to offend anyone or fend off anything. Please avoid and ignore me, if you don’t like what I write. You have a choice, I don’t.