International Tiger Day

 International Tiger Day: In Defence of the Striped Sovereign

There are creatures that inhabit our planet, and there are creatures that seem to embody it. The tiger belongs emphatically to the latter category. It is not merely an animal; it is an apparition of magnificence, a living testament to the grandeur of the natural world, a creature in whose amber eyes the primeval wilderness seems to have preserved its most incandescent secrets. When the tiger moves through the forest, it does not merely traverse the landscape; it animates it. The jungle appears to acquire a pulse, the undergrowth a consciousness, and the silence itself an expectant quality.

It is therefore fitting that International Tiger Day, observed every year on 29 July, should remind us not merely of the precarious fate of an endangered species, but of our own obligations as custodians of a planet whose biodiversity we have imperilled with astonishing alacrity.

The tiger, Panthera tigris, is the largest of the world's big cats and one of nature's most spectacular evolutionary masterpieces. Its magnificently striped coat, designed by evolution to dissolve into the chiaroscuro of forest and grassland, is as much a triumph of camouflage as it is an emblem of beauty. Powerful, solitary and stealthy, the tiger is a consummate predator, occupying the uppermost echelons of the food chain. Yet its ecological importance extends far beyond its undeniable charisma. As an apex predator, the tiger helps regulate prey populations and thereby contributes to the equilibrium of the ecosystems in which it resides. To protect the tiger, consequently, is not simply to save a charismatic animal; it is to preserve the intricate ecological architecture of entire landscapes.

And yet, for much of the last century, humanity seemed determined to erase this magnificent creature from the wild. The history of the tiger is, in considerable measure, a chronicle of human excess. Its habitat has been fragmented by agriculture, infrastructure and urban expansion. Its prey has been depleted. Its body parts have been coveted by illegal wildlife traffickers. Forests that once stretched uninterrupted across vast territories have been carved into increasingly isolated islands of habitat. The tiger, once ranging across much of Asia, has seen its historical distribution contract dramatically.

There was a time when the tiger's presence extended from the Russian Far East across China and the Indian subcontinent, through Southeast Asia and into parts of the Middle East. Today, its wild populations survive in only a fraction of that historic range. Of the tiger's recognised subspecies, several have already vanished forever. The Caspian, Javan and Bali tigers are now ghosts of zoological history, their disappearance serving as a grim indictment of humanity's inability to coexist with the natural world. Yet the story of the tiger is not exclusively one of extinction and despair. It is also a story of resilience, conservation and the possibility of redemption.

India, home to the world's largest population of wild tigers, occupies a particularly consequential position in this narrative. The launch of Project Tiger in 1973 marked a watershed in India's conservation history. What began with a relatively modest network of tiger reserves has evolved into one of the world's most significant large-scale wildlife conservation efforts. The establishment and expansion of protected areas, strengthened anti-poaching measures, scientific monitoring and community participation have helped India's tiger population recover substantially from the alarming lows witnessed in the twentieth century.

The tiger has thus become a symbol not only of India's wilderness but of the country's conservation aspirations. From the mangrove labyrinths of the Sundarbans to the sal forests of Madhya Pradesh; from the Himalayan foothills to the Western Ghats, the tiger inhabits landscapes of extraordinary ecological diversity. Its survival depends upon the preservation of these habitats, the protection of prey species and the maintenance of ecological corridors that permit animals to move between fragmented forests.

For a tiger does not recognise the artificial boundaries that humans have drawn upon maps. A forest may be a national park to us, a reserve to us, a state boundary to us; to the tiger, it is simply home. A highway slicing through its habitat is not an infrastructural project but an existential hazard. A railway line is not a transportation corridor but a potential death trap. A shrinking forest is not merely a loss of acreage but the diminution of a living universe.

This is why tiger conservation cannot be reduced to counting tigers. Numbers matter, certainly. Population estimates are indispensable indicators of conservation success. But behind every statistic lies a complex ecological reality. A landscape may contain more tigers while simultaneously becoming increasingly fragmented. A reserve may boast healthy numbers but remain isolated from neighbouring habitats. Conservation, therefore, must look beyond the arithmetic of abundance to the geography of survival.

The tiger's future depends upon forests that are sufficiently large, sufficiently connected and sufficiently secure to sustain viable populations over generations. It also depends upon people. One of the most frequently overlooked dimensions of wildlife conservation is the relationship between protected areas and the human communities that live around them. For millions of people, forests are not recreational spaces or romantic wildernesses; they are sources of livelihood, fuel, water and sustenance. When conservation policies disregard these realities, they risk transforming local communities into reluctant adversaries rather than willing partners.

The future of the tiger must therefore be built upon an ethic of coexistence. Local communities must have a meaningful stake in conservation. They must benefit from the economic opportunities that responsible ecotourism can create. Human-wildlife conflict must be addressed with sensitivity and urgency. Farmers who lose livestock to predators, or families who suffer the tragic consequences of encounters with wildlife, cannot simply be lectured about the sanctity of conservation. Their losses must be acknowledged and compensated, and practical mechanisms must be created to reduce conflict.

The tiger's survival cannot be secured by fences alone. Nor can it be achieved by romanticising the animal while ignoring the ecological and social complexities surrounding it. International Tiger Day, therefore, should not become merely another date on the calendar, accompanied by photographs of magnificent animals and well-intentioned slogans. It should provoke us into asking uncomfortable questions. What kind of planet are we bequeathing to the generations that follow us? Can economic development and ecological preservation coexist without one becoming the sacrificial victim of the other? Are we prepared to recognise that forests are not vacant land awaiting exploitation, but living systems upon which countless species—and ultimately human beings themselves—depend?

The tiger offers us a profound lesson in interconnectedness. Save the tiger, and we are compelled to save the forest. Save the forest, and we protect innumerable species of plants, insects, birds and animals. Protect those ecosystems, and we preserve watersheds, regulate climate and safeguard the ecological services upon which human civilisation depends. The tiger is thus an ambassador for an entire universe of life. Perhaps that is why the tiger has occupied such an exalted place in the mythology, folklore and imagination of civilisations across Asia. It has been feared and revered, hunted and worshipped, portrayed as a symbol of ferocity, courage, power and majesty. In India, the tiger has long inhabited the cultural imagination as both predator and deity, a creature whose presence evokes awe precisely because it reminds us that the wilderness possesses a power beyond our dominion.

But awe must eventually translate into action. The tiger does not require our admiration nearly as much as it requires our restraint. It needs us to leave forests standing. It needs us to preserve corridors. It needs us to combat poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. It needs governments to enforce conservation laws, scientists to continue their painstaking work, conservationists to persevere in the field, and communities to be treated not as obstacles but as indispensable partners. Above all, it needs humanity to rediscover the humility to understand that we are participants in nature, not proprietors of it.

There is something profoundly paradoxical about the tiger's predicament. We have become capable of photographing it in exquisite detail, tracking its movements through sophisticated technology and studying its genetic inheritance with scientific precision. Yet we remain perilously capable of destroying the very habitats that sustain it. Our technological prowess has outstripped our ecological wisdom.

International Tiger Day invites us to bridge that chasm. It reminds us that conservation is not an act of charity extended by humanity to the animal kingdom. It is an act of enlightened self-interest. The fate of the tiger is intertwined with the fate of the forests; the fate of the forests is intertwined with the fate of our climate, our rivers and our communities; and the fate of all these is ultimately intertwined with our own.

The tiger's roar, then, is not merely the sound of a predator asserting its dominion over the jungle. It is also a summons to conscience. It asks whether we will permit the natural world to survive only in photographs, documentaries and museum exhibits, or whether we will preserve enough of the planet for wild creatures to continue living wild lives.

On this International Tiger Day, let us celebrate the tiger not simply as an icon of beauty and strength, but as a sentinel of ecological integrity. Let us remember that every tiger that survives in the wild represents more than the triumph of one species. It represents the survival of a forest, the resilience of an ecosystem and the possibility that humanity might yet learn to coexist with the natural world rather than relentlessly conquer it.

The tiger has survived our guns, our greed and our heedlessness. The question now is whether we are wise enough to allow it to survive us. For if the tiger disappears from the wild, the loss will not belong to the tiger alone. It will be ours as well—a diminishment of the world's splendour, a mutilation of the planet's inheritance, and an irreplaceable silence where once there was a roar. And that, surely, would be a tragedy too profound for words.

World Nature Conservation Day

World Nature Conservation Day, observed annually on 28 July, serves as a reminder of one of the most fundamental truths of our time: the natural world is not an inexhaustible storehouse placed at humanity's disposal, but a delicate and interconnected system upon which every form of life ultimately depends.

The day encourages us to reflect upon the urgent need to conserve the Earth's forests, rivers, oceans, wetlands, wildlife and other natural resources. It is an occasion to recognise that environmental conservation is not merely about protecting picturesque landscapes or saving endangered species—important though those objectives undoubtedly are. It is ultimately about safeguarding the ecological foundations of human civilisation itself.

Why nature conservation matters

Human beings have always depended upon nature, but modern civilisation has placed that relationship under unprecedented pressure. Forests are cleared for agriculture and urban expansion; rivers and groundwater are depleted; oceans are polluted with plastic and other waste; biodiversity is disappearing at an alarming rate; and climate change is altering ecosystems across the planet. The consequences are no longer remote or abstract. Extreme heat, unpredictable rainfall, floods, droughts, wildfires and declining biodiversity increasingly affect communities around the world. The degradation of nature eventually returns to us in the form of food insecurity, water scarcity, health challenges, economic disruption and displacement.

Nature conservation, therefore, is not an indulgence reserved for environmentalists. It is a matter of survival.

Forests: The lungs and memory of the planet

Forests occupy a particularly important place in the conservation conversation. They absorb carbon dioxide, help regulate the climate, protect soil, support rainfall cycles and provide habitats for an extraordinary diversity of life. They are also sources of food, medicine and livelihoods for millions of people. Yet forests are more than collections of trees. A forest is a living community: trees, insects, birds, mammals, fungi, microorganisms, soil and water existing in intricate relationships that have evolved over thousands or millions of years.

This is why replacing an old forest with a plantation of newly planted trees is not necessarily equivalent to conserving the original ecosystem. A mature forest represents an accumulated ecological inheritance that cannot simply be recreated overnight. For those living in cities, the importance of urban forests and green spaces is equally profound. They moderate temperatures, absorb pollutants, provide shade, support birds and insects, and offer people a rare opportunity to reconnect with the natural world. In an increasingly concrete urban landscape, a patch of woodland can be far more than an aesthetic amenity; it can be an ecological necessity.

The invisible economy of nature

One of the great paradoxes of modern civilisation is that we often place a monetary value on things that nature provides freely, while failing to account for the enormous cost of destroying them. Clean air, fresh water, fertile soil, pollination, natural flood protection and climate regulation are all essential services provided by ecosystems. When wetlands are destroyed, for example, we lose natural systems that can absorb excess water. When pollinating insects decline, food production can suffer. When forests disappear, watersheds and climate systems are disrupted.

Nature, in other words, performs an immense amount of work without sending us a bill. Perhaps the most important lesson of conservation is that what is free is not necessarily worthless.

Biodiversity: The web that sustains life

Nature conservation is also inseparable from the protection of biodiversity. Every species, from the largest mammal to the smallest microorganism, forms part of an intricate ecological web. The disappearance of one species may have consequences that are not immediately visible but can gradually destabilise an entire ecosystem.

The loss of biodiversity is therefore not merely a tragedy for wildlife lovers. It diminishes the resilience of the natural systems upon which human societies depend. The tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, whale or orangutan may serve as charismatic symbols of conservation, but protecting these species also means protecting the forests, grasslands, rivers and marine environments in which countless less visible species survive.

Conservation succeeds best when we protect habitats, not merely individual animals.

The Indian perspective

For India, nature conservation presents both an enormous responsibility and a formidable challenge. The country contains an extraordinary range of ecosystems—from the Himalayas and the Western Ghats to the forests of central India, the mangroves of the Sundarbans, the deserts of Rajasthan and the coral reefs of its coastal regions. India's remarkable biodiversity exists alongside a rapidly growing population, expanding cities, infrastructure development and increasing pressure on land and natural resources. The challenge is not to choose between development and conservation as though the two were inherently incompatible, but to recognise that development that destroys the ecological foundations of society is ultimately self-defeating.

The conservation of forests, wetlands, mangroves and urban green spaces is particularly important. Mumbai itself offers a powerful illustration. Its mangroves and remaining natural landscapes perform essential ecological functions, from providing habitats for wildlife to helping protect the coastline and reducing the impact of flooding. The lesson is simple: once natural ecosystems disappear, rebuilding them is extraordinarily difficult—and sometimes impossible.

Conservation begins with ordinary choices

It is easy to imagine conservation as the responsibility of governments, scientists, environmental organisations and activists. They undoubtedly have crucial roles to play. Governments must formulate effective policies, enforce environmental regulations and balance development with ecological responsibility. Scientists must continue to study ecosystems and identify solutions. Conservation organisations must protect vulnerable habitats and species.

But ordinary citizens also have a role. Reducing unnecessary consumption, avoiding single-use plastics, conserving water and electricity, minimising waste, choosing sustainable products, planting and protecting native vegetation, respecting wildlife and supporting responsible environmental initiatives are all meaningful actions.

Perhaps even more important is the need to cultivate environmental consciousness. A child who learns to admire a tree rather than regard it as an obstruction, who understands that a bird has a right to its habitat, or who recognises the value of a river beyond its utility as a water source, is more likely to grow into an adult who respects the natural world.

Conservation, therefore, is partly a matter of policy and technology—but it is also a matter of culture and imagination.

The personal dimension of nature

There is, finally, a deeply personal reason to care about nature. A walk beneath trees, the sound of birds in the morning, the sight of rain falling on a forest, the coolness of a shaded path or the quietness of a landscape untouched by concrete can provide something that no technological innovation can quite replicate.

For many people, particularly those who run or walk outdoors, nature is not an abstract concept. It is experienced physically and intimately. A runner moving through a forest understands the difference between a road lined with buildings and a path surrounded by trees. One feels the temperature, hears the birds, notices the changing light and becomes acutely aware of the landscape. Such experiences can transform conservation from an intellectual proposition into an emotional commitment.

Perhaps that is where the real significance of World Nature Conservation Day lies. It asks us not merely to know that nature matters, but to remember that we are part of nature. We often speak of "saving the planet", but the planet itself does not require saving from humanity. The Earth has survived ice ages, volcanic eruptions and mass extinctions. What is at stake is the habitability of the planet for the species that currently inhabit it—including ourselves.

Nature conservation is, therefore, an act of humility. It is an acknowledgement that humanity, despite all its technological achievements, remains dependent upon systems it did not create and cannot easily replace. The forests will continue without us. The oceans will continue without us. Birds will migrate, rivers will flow and seasons will change. The more pertinent question is whether we will have the wisdom to ensure that these natural systems remain healthy enough to sustain us.

On World Nature Conservation Day, perhaps the most meaningful commitment we can make is a simple one: to take less, waste less, destroy less and appreciate more. To recognise that every forest preserved, every wetland protected, every river kept clean and every species saved is not merely a gift to future generations but an investment in our own survival. The Earth has been generous to us beyond measure. The least we can do is to stop behaving as though its generosity were infinite.

Zodiac

 American true crime mystery movie “Zodiac” (2007) directed by David Fincher and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr. among others.

Its based on a true crimes committed by one Zodiac who left ciphers and sent letters to the San Francisco Chronicle. Jake Gyllenhaal is a cartoonist in the SFC and Robert Downey Jr. a reporter in the same newspaper.

Mark Ruffalo is handling the case but they get no clues. They interview one Arthur Leigh Allen and all clues point to him as the possible Zodiac. But the handwriting match turns negative and the case is lost.

Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) pursues the case doggedly though he is only a cartoonist and not a police man. He is interested in the cipher code and does a lot of leg work which points him to Arthur Leigh Allen.

Mike Mageau who is the survivor from the first shooting of the couple in 1969 identifies Allen as the man who shot him. But by the time they start investigation, Allen dies of a heart attack.

So officially this case remains unsolved in America’s crime history. A rather longish movie which painstakingly takes the viewers through the happenings from 1969 onwards to more than 25 years later. A lot of detailing has gone into the script.

Of the actors, both Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo have done good roles as required of them. IMDB 5/10

Iratta

 Deadly Malayalam crime thriller movie “Iratta” (2023), directed by Rohit M.G. Krishnan and starring Joju George, Anjali, Arya Salim among others.

Its a story of twin brothers Pramod and Vinod (both played by Joju George) and their respective flashback stories. Both were inseparable in childhood, but had to be separated because of their abusive and womanising father.

Vinod had to stay with his father while Pramod went to his mother. Both enter the police and again both have back stories. Vinod is single until he meets Malini (Anjali) who is subjected to beatings by her husband, a pastor.

Pramod had a wife and daughter, but due to alcoholic ways, his wife separated from him for 17 years. Too much of flashbacks take place. Anyways, one fine evening, Vinod is found shot dead in the police station.

There are lots of suspects and investigations and police procedures, to’s and fro’s going on. Vinod is given to gambling and drinking and in one such binge, he comes across a teenaged girl in a lodge and rapes her.

Meanwhile Pramod’s daughter grows up in Mumbai with her mother and she enters the singing contest on live T.V. The ending is quite gut wrenching as Pramod has to deal with some uncertain truths, just when his wife was beginning to reconcile with him.

Joju George has done an absolutely astounding role as the drunken, brazen, cop in two avatars giving it all it requires to deal with the frustrations, despair and sadness. Watch the movie for his acting only. Its breathtaking.

Otherwise the overall script is okay, camera work and cinematography are all good and background music is superb. Rohit M.G. Krishnan has managed to etch a taut crime thriller on the screen with suspense towards the end. IMDB 5/10

The Dove's Lost Necklace

 

The second part of Nacer Khemir’s desert trilogy “The Dove’s Lost Necklace” (1994), a Tunisian film starring Navin Chowdhry, Walid Arakji, Nina Esber among others.

Hassan (Navin Chowdhry) is learning Arabic calligraphy and on a quest for true love. He is learning the 60 words for love prescribed in Arabic literature and has so far found 35 of them.

Zin (Walid Arakji) is a young kid who is a son of a djinn but everybody calls him a bastard. He delivers love messages for money and so that Prince Haroun, the prince trapped in a monkey becomes real again.

They find a half burnt manuscript which reveals of a lament of Princess Samarkhand. Hassan is looking for that book which talks about true love but the store room in which they look for the book is burnt down.

He finally finds Aziz (Nina Esber) the beautiful Princess of Samarkand and then loses her. Nacer Khemir has created a magnificent and enchanting story rich in metaphor and with a visual imagery stunning for all its beauty. The camera work and cinematography capturing the Arabian architecture and landscape is breathtaking. The rich Arabian music enriches the story to perfection.

Walid Arakji is a stunner of an actor, a young child, with a naughty smile and lots of energy. Navin Chowdhry has done a good role but it is Nina Esber who captures the screen presence with her ravisihing good looks and beauty. IMDB 6/10

Wanderers of the Desert

 

First part of a three part Desert trilogy “Wanderers of the Desert”, a Tunisian film by writer/ director Nacer Khemir and starring Nacer Khemir, Souflane Makni, Noureddine Kasbaoui, Hedi Daoud and Sonia Ichti among others.

A young teacher arrives in a remote village of which many have not heard of. When he arrives, the villagers welcome him, but there is no school building.

The teacher is told that the young men of the village go around wandering in the desert like a ghost due to a curse. Once a year the wanderers come back and the teacher is given a book which he has to make them read so that the curse will be broken.

There is lot of mystery and mystique in the story. A young kid breaks all the mirrors in the village in order to make a garden. There is a beautiful young girl who comes in front of the teacher and makes some hand movements.

One villager is digging for a treasure for 50 years but finds nothing and dies. Suddenly a boat appears in the desert and the police arrives to investigate the sudden disappearance of the teacher.

Its not a linear story line but quite a fable mixing up Arabian culture, mysticism, folklore, legend with some stunning desert visuals and hauntingly melodious Tunisian music. Without the credits, it is difficult to know the characters, but the young kid is quite a devil in the movie.

Nacer Khemir manages to captivate the audience with the never ending suspense. Viewers are trying to piece together the various scenes in order to make a context out of the story. IMDB 4/10

Kalikallam

 Action packed Malayalam movie “Kalikkalam” (1990) directed by Sathyan Anthikad and starring Mammootty, Murali, Shobana, Sreenivasan among others.

Its a classic robinhood story as Mammootty is a robber who robs from the rich and corrupt and spends that money for the poor & disadvantaged. He assumes various roles and identities to dupe the police as well.

Murali is a new police officer and honest one at that. Its a cat and mouse between Murali and Mammootty and try as he might, no clues lead the police to the robber.

One too many murders take place and Murali being a suspended police officer on the spot is arrested and tried for murder. Mammootty is moved by that prospect of an innocent police inspector going to jail and makes amends towards that end.

There are many other character actors in the movie including Shobana who is reduced to a side role as somebody who is pining for the robber. Innocent, Mamukoya, Shankarady, Sreenivasan, Sukumari, Philomena all play useful little roles in their inimitable manner.

This is more action oriented than the earlier movies of Sathyan Anthikad. There is an underlying subtext to the movie in the form of subtle messaging towards corrupt persons and innocent guys getting caught instead. Fine acting by Murali — he was such a fantastic actor in the Malayalam cinema. IMDB 5/10