When the life of Cecil, the lion, was taken by the now infamous American dentist, Walter Palmer, the world was enraged. Social media exploded with anger, with some people even baying for his blood. The criticism in the mass media was testimony to the impact of his act. He’s an inhuman and merciless coward, many said. The rare black-maned beast was a popular sight at a national park in Zimbabwe until it was killed on July 1.
I agree, but the words are too strong. To be sure, by no means is he the only culprit. Of course, the big-game hunters are. They all have contributed to the disharmony with nature. Their actions have devastated…
But wait a minute. What is all the fuss all about? Is it about killing big animals alone? Shouldn’t it be about violence and cruelty as a whole? Are they the only offenders?
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Forget Mr. Palmer and Cecil for a minute. Let us relax for a moment and talk about me and you. Ok, I had chicken biryani for lunch.
Delicious! Yummy it sounds, isn’t it? Oh, you prefer the mutton variety? Cool.
Forget it. I have got to ask you something important. My first anniversary is approaching. What do you think would be the perfect gift for my fiancé. An ivory idol? Maybe the tiger claw pendant is perfect. Or the black leather dress that’s the fashion trend?
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Okay. That was a short refreshing conversation with too little details of our lives. Now back to Mr. Palmer. One person killing one animal violently became a source of global outrage, while a million more “less significant” murders are being committed right under our nose. When a lion is killed it is murder. When a big animal is killed it is poaching. And all those involved are cowards. What we don’t realise is that the unassuming Palmer inside us, directly or indirectly, responsible for the murder of millions of lives every day.
All life, regardless of size and species, is created equal. Then why confer the special status to some? Is it that the life of a chicken less important than a lion’s? I get what you’re saying. Lion is a conserved, protected species on the verge of extinction, unlike the chicken and goat. And now the big question, are we just preserving the species to extend the lifeline of humanity? Being an intelligent product of nature, shouldn’t humans strive not to exploit nature? Isn’t the right to life a part of every animal and bird as much as it is for human beings?
These are the basic questions we ask ourselves time and again. Yet there are no answers. It seems the civilisation is on the path to unknown. And it makes me wonder if ours is a failed civilisation and that humans were a mistake of nature.
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