Captivity: A Curse for Animals

Captivity: A Curse for Animals

I was in the Muthanga Wild sanctuary (Waynad, Kerala) last week. I was surprised to see deers in big number and an elephant in the free space of Waynad forest. Inspiring by this I started thinking on the Captivity and Freedom of the animal. 

Photographs were taken in the 

Muthanga Wildlife  Sanctuary

Most of the animals in this country live in captivity. Captivity is a situation where freedom of a living organism is snatched away. Captivity of animals is a practice of keeping animals behind the bars. Captivity of animals is in different forms. Keeping animals for domestic purpose, keeping animals as pets, keeping animals as a source of entertainment, keeping animals for various scientific experiments, 

keeping animals in temples and many more. Captivity of animals was not started from yesterday or day before. It is an ancient practice of keeping animals in captivity. Earlier most of the captive animals were used by the kings for their military purpose. Later animals were captured for the circus’. But today animals are imprisoned in a cage and kept to showcase them. The number of animals that are under captivity today is very high when compared to animals that were in captivity in olden days. Of course, keeping some animals in captivity has some advantages.

 Like, keeping the endangered species in captivity will help to increase their population. It also helps to improve their quality of life. Keeping animals in captivity also helps to study their behavior and lifestyle. But it also has a lot of disadvantages. Usually, animals living in captivity are kept in small areas or cages, where they are not free. This may lead to the development of abnormal behaviors by the animals. As they are enclosed and confined to a small area, they cannot do what they usually do in the wild like run, swim, climb trees, hunt, and so on. Animals can be victims of stress, which can result in physical and psychological suffering. 

Animals in Captivity

Usually, Animals in captivity are bought from different habitats. When they are bought to a place, which has a different climate from their habitat, it will be difficult for the animals to adjust to that environment and it may also affect their behavioral patterns. This also creates problems inbreeding, this may lead to losing genetic variability, more variations cannot be seen and hence the survival advantage of animals also decreases gradually. But when we think about why we are doing this inhuman act of keeping animals in captivity.. the only thing that will come to our head is that we are doing this to gain profit. From zoos, we gain money. We use them for our work. 

A lot of people protest against keeping animals in captivity. Many people claim that animals should live in the wild and they also protest against keeping animals in captivity. They claim that it is a cruel act and inhumane. But is it really so bad and violent? Are there more advantages than disadvantages of keeping animals in captivity?

Yours...

Vidhisha Gowthami.G.P

A Beginning.....!!

Wild for Future

                           

Wild  For Future

ನಮಸ್ತೆ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ...

There’s a kind of relationship between me and forest. Ever since childhood, I’m fond of going to forests. I’ve visited many forests. As far as I remember the first hill I had been to was Nrupathunga hill in Hubli. It was a very small hill. Though it did not have a lot of trees, it’s environment was so pleasant. I loved that place. I used to go there every week with my father. After that I have visited many forests, like estates of Coorg, forests of Wayanad, Kerala, Nisargadatta, srirangapatna, thick forests of Assam and Meghalaya and many more. In my summer holidays, I had been to forests that are around Chamarajnagar. Palar forest, doddas

ampige mara, BR Hills, Honami forest, paada dhare and many more. It was fun to wander in the forest. I also met some tribals. As we all know, Forests have completely different weather compared to the cities. As I said I had been there in the summer season.

 Cities had burning hotness. But forests were cool pleasant, no noise pollution no air pollution, shortly, it was completely opposite to the cities. I’ve seen many animals in the forest. There will always be somewhat happiness or joy of freedom, independence in their faces. But when we went there in our jeeps, as soon as they saw our jeeps, their expressions suddenly changed. A strange look. As if they are watching a different creature. But we cannot see this change of expressions in animals that are in the zoo or in captivity. They will be used to this. But at the same time, we can also see another expression in the animals that are in the forest. A fear look!! A fear look of losing their independence, a fear look of losing their freedom, a fear look of losing their family, and also a fear look of losing their lives. We can clearly see their insecurity. At that time I felt.. Should animals live in such insecurity and that too because of humans?? At the same time, I remembered the animals under captivity. What was their mistake?? Why do they have to live their entire life in the cage? Where’s the thing called humanity..?? The world is created for all of us. Then why are we being so selfish? Why are we being so greedy? Why can’t we understand... we need this environment to survive. we need water for our future!! We need air for our future. We need trees for our future!! All in all, we need forest for our future, for the earth’s future. Forests give us rain, the forest gives us air, forests maintain ecological balance, forests become the habitat to thousands of wild animals and also protect us from wild animals.

 But forest and wild animals are dependent on each other. So first we need to protect wildlife in order to protect the forest. Forests are very important for us. We need forest for our future, And wildlife for forests’ future. Hence we need wild for earth’s future,

                            -We need WILD FOR FUTURE!!!!

          Hence I came up with an idea on the occasion of my BIRTHDAY to contribute something for the conservation and preservation of wildlife, forests, nature. .....I am beginning my journey in this regard. Bless me. Be with me...we will do better for nature and the environment.

Thank you all...

Vidhisha Gauthami.G.P