They Came and They Conquered

One day, there were two goats on either banks of river trying to cross the river with the bark laid above it. Both of them wanted to be the first one to cross the river. As no one was ready to compromise, they feel in the river and died. We come across similar situation when we read about the leopard attacks. The leopard is the bark laid before the readers of the accidents (river) to judge if the forest reserve officers are right (goat 1) trying to save leopards or the resident around reserve (goat 2) who fear for their life. Amidst this argument seen as a man to animal conflict is in fact a man to man conflict. The inability of the leopard to voice their issues and express themselves makes it easier for humans to blame them for encroaching the area.

Human habitation and estates have been growing around the reserve causing inconvenience to animals. Residents have often complained about the attacks, but what they fail to understand is the easy access to food in form of garbage and dog attracts them. The recent attacks over the past few weeks in the estate has caused chaos. When we spoke to the head of the leopard panchayat he said, 

”They came and they conquered our land. If their instinct to protect themselves is by complaining or blaming, then ours is by attacking.”

To summarize our interview with the leopard

If the Indians were ruled by British and now by those politicians

We are ruled by the lion and now also by the people.

PS: an imaginative conservation with leopard that was done as an assignment in college. The motive is to promote the idea of conversation of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). I am not taking a stand on behalf of leopard or victims but is simple imagination.