EXCLUSIVE: Dame Daphne Sheldrick calls out to preserve wildlife in India

[Guest guest]

It is indeed and honor and pleasure to share on AAPN the transcript of

an exclusive video interview of Dame Daphne Sheldrick given to me

which is part of an educational film in the making.

 

Dame Daphne needs no introduction, she is a world authority on 'wild

orphans' but for those who would like to know more about this

courageous lady who has been tirelessly advocating and defending

elephants and all creatures do visit :

http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

 

Azam Siddiqui

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Q: What are the common problems that exist in Kenya and back there in

India ?

 

Daphne:

 

" Well, 1st Kenya and India share wonderful Wildlife, wonderful natural

wildlife resource. The problems that we share are possibly

educational. People don't understand the value of animals or the

nature of animals. A lot of time they don't care for them. They are in

conflict with them.

And I think it was `Gandhi' who said, " You can judge a Nation by the

way it treats its wild animals " , and I think that's very very true.

And when people extend a hand of friendship to animals and treat them

kindly and with compassion and care, there are so many rewards that come.

Animals can be such a wonderful source of healing to the soul, to

companionship.

Absolutely wonderful to try and understand them and how they feel and

think.

And you know the learning goes on for a lifetime, and you have always

got something to learn, something to understand, and the animals can

show you that. Because they are very close to nature and we also

belong to nature.

So the problems that we have in Kenya, of course human-wildlife

conflict, I think you have that same problem in India. That needs to

be resolved in a humane and compassionate way. There are some places

where of course where wild animals are in conflict with human

agriculture and places like that needs to be sorted out by fencing and

something that can protect the animals from the humans and the humans

from the animals.

We have a problem here with logging in our forests, I think that is

possibly something which you have as well.

And so you know the forests are very important of course to the water

resource of the country and the healthy air and everything else comes

through the trees and the vegetation.

And so you know there needs to be much more awareness of the value of

natural forests, natural vegetation, and nature general. That will

enhance the quality of life of humans if they take care of nature. "

 

Q: What message would you like to convey to the people of India and

specially the young generation ?

 

Daphne:

 

" I would like to remind everyone that we are all `animals' and the way

you treat an animal you should treat it the way you yourself would

like to be treated.

With kindness, care and compassion and gentle handling and never to be

brutal or sort of aggressive to animals.

We need to have respect for them, respect for all life and I think in

India there is a big feeling for that and I need that needs to be put

into practice and extend it to wild creatures as well as domestic. "

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