The world around us looks so varied and beautiful. Suppose the world is of one single colour, can you imagine what our life will be? Monotonous, of course, it will be. But mother Nature is benign and the world is multicoloured
making our life so enjoyable and pleasant.

It is not difficult to understand that one of nature’s benedictions is the flora and fauna. The world is what it is, a habitable planet, in fact the only planet so far known to man in which living beings can dwell and prosper. And look at
our wealth of fauna - the animal world - varied in kind and colour.

The North-East India is a hot-bed of rich flora and fauna. In fact, large part of its area constitutes mysterious and unexplored areas, making them a challenge to lovers of adventure. Endowed with diverse tourist attractions, NorthEast India is the melting - pot of varieties of flora and fauna. The monsoon rain and the sub-tropical climate of North East India have made it a region conducive to the growth of varied breed of flora and fauna in the region.

 

Among these vast range of fauna two of them are world renowned. These two are the Sangai deer of Manipur and the one horned Rhinoceros ofAssam. Unfortunately, human greed and selfishness are threatening the very existence of these rare animals.

The Sangai deer :

A unique gift of nature to Manipur is the Sangai deer, romantically called the dancing deer, and in a more prosaic
term ‘The brow antlered deer.’ The Sangai deer (scientific name, cervus eldi eldi) once believed to be extinct, was
rediscovered in the year 1953. Its natural habitat is the Keibul Lamjao National Park, a protected area where poaching
and intrusion are prohibited. But despite being protected the Sangai deer is a highly endangered species.

The Keibul Lamjao National Park is a unique land mass. It is a wetland constituted of a floating mat of vegetation known locally as Phumdi. It has an environment highly favourable to the livelihood and growth of the Sangai.

 

The Sangai is under threat from the Loktak Hydro Electric Project. Before the Loktak Project the actual park area used to sink and float respectively during the dry and wet seasons. Now, this cycle has been disturbed and park area does
not get its nutrients as it used to leading to paucity of grass for the deer.

More threatening to the deer is of course, human beings, who live in the nearby villages. They encroach upon the park area for cultivation, grazing of livestock and collecting firewoods. The pesticide they use in farming affect the health of the deer. Further, they enter the park for poaching the deer, which is an illegal activity.

However, Government agencies, NGO’s and many local bodies are trying their best to bring awareness to the people of Manipur in general and particularly to the people living in the vicinity of the park about their duty to effectively guard this unique deer of which every Manipuri through the length and breadth of Manipur is very proud of.

 

It should be clear that if the deer is to survive, it is man who will have to protect it.

The one-horned rhino of Assam

The one-horned rhinoceros of Assam is another rare species of fauna that is facing extinction. It is a unique creature, second in size only to the elephant, a horn growing vertically upon the middle of its forehead and thick skin having
folds.

 

One-horned rhinos once ranged in thousands across the northern part of the Indian sub-continent, along the river basins of the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, from Pakistan to the Indo-Burmese border. But during the 1800s and early 1900s, the rhinos were hunted relentlessly and persistently in the name of sports and the species was
rendered near extinction.

Although sport-hunting had been prohibited in the early 1900s, the threat to the rhinos still persist. Today, poaching is the greatest threat to the rhinos. It is the outcome of human greed and thoughtlessness. People have an unfounded belief that the rhino horn has health giving properties in it and people kill rhinos for its valuable horns. From 1980 to 1993, 692 rhinos were poached in India. In Laokhowa Wildfire Sanctuary, 41 rhinos were killed in 1983, virtually the entire population of the sanctuary. By the mid 1990s, poaching had rendered the species extinct there.

The Indian Government has taken major steps towards the conservation of Indian rhinoceros. In 1910, all rhino hunting was prohibited. Rhinos today are confined only to a few pockets of National parks, mainly in the eastern parts of India, Kaziranga National Park being the biggest of these sanctuaries. As a result of this concerted effort by the Indian Government today the population of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros is on the up - from 366 in 1966 to 2329 in 2012 in Kaziranga alone.

Apart from the Sangai deer and one-horned rhino, many varieties of animals and birds are under the constant threat of extinction all over the country due to poaching and encroachment. It should, however, be clear that all creatures, big and small, belong to this earth. Indeed, the earth would look dull and joyless if these beautiful animals become extinct. If the animals are to continue to beautify this earth, we should realise that it is our duty to protect them.

Word notes:

benedictions : a blessing

flora and fauna : plants and animal life of a particular region

habitable : a favourable place to live in

endowed : provided with quality, ability, or feature.

demeanour : a person’s appearance outward behaviour

poaching : illegal hunting in protected areas

endangered : in danger of becoming extinct

paucity : least quantity

encroach : intrude on another’s territory.

persistently : continuously

sanctuary : a protected area for birds, animals etc.

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SOLUTIONS
A. Complete the following sentences:

a) The world is what it is, a habitable planet, in fact, the only planet so far known to man, in which living beings can dwell and prosper.

b) Endowed with diverse tourist attractions, North-East India is a hotbed of rich flora and fauna.

c) The Sangai deer (Cervus eldi-eldi) once believed to be extinct, was rediscovered in the year 1953.

d) They encroach upon the park area for cultivation, grazing of livestock, and collecting firewoods.

e) In Laokhowa Wildfire Sanctuary, 41 rhinos were killed in 1983, virtually the entire population of the sanctuary.

B. Answer the following questions in one sentence each:

1) Name the two renowned breeds of fauna found in the North Eastern region of India.
Ans: The Sangai deer and one-horned rhinoceros are the two renowned breeds of fauna found in the North Eastern region of India.

2) What are the different names of Sangai?
Ans: The different names of Sangai are the dancing deer, the brow antlered deer and Cervus eldi eldi.

3) What is a “Phumdi”?
Ans: It is a floating mat of vegetation.

4) What makes the rhino a unique creature?
Ans: The rhino is a unique creature, second in size only to the elephant, a horn growing vertically upon the middle of its forehead and thick skin having folds.

5) What makes North East India a conducive place for the growth of flora and fauna?
Ans: The monsoon rain and the sub-tropical climate of North East India have made it a region conducive place for the growth of flora and fauna.

C. Answer the following question briefly:

1) How is Loktak Hydro Electric Project a major threat to the Sangai?

Ans: Before the Loktak Project the park area used to sink and float respectively during the dry and wet seasons. Now, this cycle has been disturbed and the park area does not get its nutrients as it used to leading to paucity of grass for the deer.

2) State the reasons which cause the near extinction of the one-horned rhino from India?

Ans: It is the outcome of human greed and thoughtlessness. Rhinos are poached and killed for its valuable horns as they have a belief that the rhino horn has health giving properties.

 

3) What are the major steps taken up by the Indian government for the conservation of wildlife?

Ans: In 1910, all rhino hunting was prohibited. They are confined only to a few pockets of National parks. Many government agencies, NGOs and local bodies are giving awareness to the people.

4) What is sport hunting and why was it prohibited?

Ans: During the 1800s and early 1900s, the rhinos were hunted relentless and persistently in the name of sports and the species was rendered near extinction.

5) Why do people encroach upon the park area?
Ans: Villagers encroach upon the park area to build houses or to grow agricultural crops or for cattle grazing and fishing.

6) What different means of poaching do the encroachers use?

Ans: They lay traps, use sickles, and even guns as a means of poaching.

7) Which human activities contribute to the decimation of the KLNP ecology?
Ans: Collection of fodder for cattle and for personal use, collection of food plants and fire-wood for personal use and for money contribute to the decimation of the KLNP ecology.

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8. Find out the words that mean the following:

(a) to extend or enter an area without permission - encroachment

(b) an excuse to hide the real reason - pretext

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9. What is the difference between a Wildlife Sanctuary and a National Park?

 

Wildlife Sanctuary    
1. Human activities are allowed.  
2. The main aim is to protect a particular flora or fauna.  
3. There are no fixed boundaries.    
4. It is open to the general public    
5. Sanctuaries are usually formed by the order of Central or the State Government    
6. A sanctuary can be upgraded to a national park    

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National Park

 1. No human activities are allowed.

 2. Can include flora, fauna or any other objects of historical/geographic significance.

3. Boundaries are fixed and defined.

4. Not usually open to the public.
5. National Parks are formed by the State or central Legislature.

6. A national park cannot be downgraded to a sanctuary.