With climate change, global warming, green house effect, deforestation, extinction of several species and many other manifestations of environmental degradation looming large on the planet a wake up call has been sounded by nations across the world. The limiting and reversal of degradation cannot be pursued only through protocols and enactment of international and national laws and their implementation. A definite and important component of the initiative is people’s involvement at the grassroot level and our own Chipko movement is a classic example of this.
Rita Banerji’s two short films –– Flight To Freedom – The Amur Falcon Story and Turtle Diaries –– The Olive Ridley Turtle –– recently awarded the Indian Wildlife Conservation Jury Special Award and Indian-Films for Children category at the 8th CMS Vatavaran bring out crucial role played by locals in ecological conservation.
There are very few places in India providing exclusive protection to wildlife and many designated areas for animals and birds are shared by the indigenous communities who live off the forest, like in north east India and Western ghats. “The fast disappearing forest habitats make it imperative to involve the community to save whatever is left. I feel conservation has to be tackled holistically and not in isolation by Government, law, justice or community. The need of the hour is dialogue and close working between all the stakeholders,” says Rita. She stresses that animal habitat and community are interdependent and it is imminent to save both.
Amur falcon, a small raptor and insectivorous, breeds in Siberia and northern China and migrates in flocks to southern Africa in winter via India and Arabian Sea where it makes a short stop over. However, the halt at the Doyang river in Wokha district of Nagaland proved disastrous for them as they were trapped to be sold as pets and are hunted for meat.
On being aware of this, Ramki Srinivasan, Conservation India, Shashank Dalvi, Centre for Wildlife Studies and Bano Haralu, Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust studied and discovered to their horror that between 1.2 and 1.4 lakh birds were caught during the migration season. Rita was asked to document the hunting, the findings and the subsequent efforts to mitigate the suffering of the birds resulting in the documentary.
Even though the bird hunting was banned, it was realised that many involved were unaware of the impact of their actions on the wildlife, environment and agricultural practices and engaged in this illegal vocation due to unemployment. In the film an ex-hunter turned trainer Chambemo, says he was forced to hunt to earn a living and pleads ignorance about the importance of the bird and its role in ecology.
Comprehending that the killing was stemming out of some basic needs but largely out of ignorance started the amur falcon education initiative encompassing workshops for all, distribution of booklets on the subject, manuals, organisation of various activities like drawing, sports, marathon run, etc. emphasising on the importance of the benefits flowing from conservation. “Convinced after attending the sessions the kids went on to discourage their parents to hunt, cook and eat meat,” reveals Chambemo.
The film shows how sustained effort paid dividends with no birds hunted since 2013. Comments Rita: “The documentary made primarily for creating awareness makes a good story example of importance of communities working for conservation.”
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Turtle Diaries chronicles the arrival of olive ridley at Odisha for nesting underlying the significance of community effort in helping the forest department to safeguard these reptiles. Suffused with interesting details and bits about the species, the aribada (Spanish for arrival) frames showing droves of turtles coming ashore at Rushikulya are captivating as are the scenes of egg laying and their covering by the females with sand. The film standouts for depicting the efforts of volunteers and local groups cutting across all age groups and gender in helping forest officials in ensuring proper nesting of turtles, covering re-dugged nests and shifting eggs to the department-run hatcheries. Stealing the show is the race at night of the hatchlings oriented by luminosity towards the sea and the subsequent assistance provided by people during the daytime when the turtles disoriented by light move towards the land.
“Targeted primarily for school and college students, the documentary aims to create awareness about our country’s rich environmental heritage. Olive ridley represents the flagship species of Indian conservation and its protection is a keystone effort,” avers Rita.
