One Human Being Is Equal To A Hundred Animals?

In a small town of Kotpad in Orissa, a tragic incident claimed the lives of eight people, who were killed by a wild bear that had managed to escape from its habitat into the village. The bear was eventually caught and killed by the villagers. This Odisha news created waves among the people of Orissa and led to countless debates and discussions about the correctness of the act of killing the bear and security system for the villagers.

Around this time, there were also numerous reports in the newspapers about elephants, leopards, and turtles being killed due to the negligence and carelessness of the people. However, these reports never received the kind of coverage which the news about the death of eight villagers received. This brings us to the burning question – How important are animals in our world? There are a number of species that are on the verge of extinction because of the activities of humans; however, this seems reasonable to us as long as it benefits us in some way. But when even one person from our species is harmed, hundreds join hands to take revenge.

Statistics from Odisha news today

According to reports from the Orissa Wildlife Organization, the number of human deaths due to attacks by animals such as elephants, crocodiles, bears, wolves, and wild pigs totaled to 352, compared to 331 elephants that died due to the illicit activities of humans. This is excluding the decreasing numbers of other wild animals that have been prey to humans.

The situation has come where the animals have to fight with humans for their own habitat and food and, according to Odisha news today, it is very clear that they are losing badly. Now and then, something suddenly goes wrong and humans have to bear the wrath of the animals; however, one can hardly blame them for trying to defend themselves and their lifestyle habits.

Odisha news tips on an attempt to achieve a balance

The problem started when the land that once used to serve as home for many animals turned into sites for mining and industrial projects. A number of projects such as roadways, railways, irrigation projects, hydroelectric projects, and canal systems required vast pieces of free space, and out of pure selfishness and greed, humans began exploiting those places which provided a safe and suitable environment for wild animals.

A number of good examples from which Orissa can learn include Thailand, Myanmar, Australia, and Malaysia which take an active interest in conservation of wildlife and their habitats. In fact, a major part of their tourism industry centers on their native species of flora and fauna such as kangaroos in Australia and orangutans in Malaysia.

Serious steps need to be taken to discourage deforestation and poaching of elephants. Although all the laws for the protection of forests and animals are in place, the implementation part is a challenge and needs to be actively endorsed all over the state.

Varun Kumar, in addition to being a well-published journalist, is also a wildlife enthusiast and is actively involved in the welfare and protection of animals and their habitats. He has also covered a number of today's Odia news items about the state of wildlife in Orissa.