CHAMPIONS OF THE WILD

It probable does not list under blood sports, but is barbaric entertainment all the same. Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder of Wildlife SOS, on the mission to end bear dancing, and beyond…
It was en route to Agra, while chomping on butter-dripping paranthas during one of those sumptuous stopovers at a roadside dhaba, that the merry, content-with-perpetuating-edible-content dhaba wallah doled mention of a bear sanctuary not very far ahead. Headed on a fun trip with friends, the animal enthusiast in me nonetheless got the better of our collective curiosities and there resulted a slight detour to give the place flying visit. Little did we know that fleeting interest would lead us to a world where animals were accorded and restored the dignity as deserved any creation of God’s.
The gates of the Sanctuary opened into a mini forest which, though not pruned, I wouldn’t call entirely untouched. Guided by the sanctuary officer through the wilderness, we reached large barricaded areas where, we were told, bears rescued from bear dancers and circus shows, were sheltered. It was here that kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani’s endeavours, as the co-founders of Wildlife SOS (WSOS), made themselves amply conspicuous for all to behold.
The Center for Conservation and Rehabilitation of Bears – one of the better havens for the hapless Sloth Bear of inida.
Given the mounting numbers on the lists of ‘threatened’ and ‘critically endangered’ species worldwide, wildlife protection is now an issue of concern more than ever. Where most of us can’t  even claim to be armchair activists, some like Kartick and Geeta actively dedicate themselves to the cause of life, not as ‘social’ as the so-called intelligent being on two legs. And not just bears. With rescue and raid constituting all in a day’s work for Kartick, it was during yet another such operation when I met him last wee. Kartick had been called in to intervene as a jackal strayed into the capital city. As chaos struck routine, Kartick was called to the rescue, not of men and women scampering helter-skelter but of the nervous animal which retreated, frozen with fear.
Pooling their individual savings to set up Wildlife SOS, Kartick and Geeta started out with an aim to put an end to the brutal practice of bear dancing. “I had always been a conservation supporter. I worked for the New York Zoological Society and was involved in research till 1995”, says Kartick. “We started with the project of dancing bears. It’s a huge challenge to nab those for whom bear dancing is a profession practiced by generations. We have rescued above 400 bears from the ugly exploitation.”
To the amused spectators, bear dancing is just a bizarre act of entertainment, little knowing that the poor beasts are probably not ‘dancing’ but in fact writhing in pain and raring in fear. Ruthlessly nailed with metal rings punctured through the nose and forced to bear the weight of heavy iron tied on their feet, the ‘dance’ had nothing to do with the emotions associated with ‘dance.’ Besides, what makes one further shudder is the fact that the eyes of many bears are pierced with hot iron rods with the purpose of blinding to thwart any kind of provocation during public acts!
Such unfortunate beasts find shelter at the Sanctuary where animal experts help them recuperate from the torture imposed on them through years. It was heartrending to witness some bears incessantly moving their heads, and some, up on their two feet ready to sway at the sight of humans, as if in a nightmarish trance from their past.
What would have been thunderously applauded once, today was tended to with remedial care and love.
Involved in innumerable rescue missions-from that of pythons to elephants – Kartick recalls a particularly risky and unforgettable one of a leopard that had accidentally wandered into the city area of Delhi. “It was very dangerous. I also remember it vividly because I was mistakenly shot on my leg while rescuing the wild cat,” recalled Kartick. With man encroaching on any and all available space unmindful of the rightful ‘residents’, there are bound to be increasing cases of such trespassing. Reinforces Kartick, “ The root cause of this is thus very important to take steps to conserve environment and wildlife.” Declaring that animal skin trading is a 40 billion dollar business, next only to narcotics, he laments illequipped infrastructure to tackle the mess. At least in the abolition of barbarities as bear dancing, they have gained considerable ground. “We are making all efforts to provide the community with alternate solutions to earn a living. We have been successful because they too realize the jeopardy involved in this illegal activity and welcome the idea of switching to alternate jobs like handicrafts, weaving etc to earn a proud livelihood.”
With environment on global agenda, the initiatives of Kartick and Geeta are increasingly winning international acclaim. Set for a tour of US and Mexico in November to highlight their cause, Kartick says, “My only motivation is commitment, to uproot this practice of cruelty from the core…” And just then the phone rang. Apologising for the interruption, Kartick answered it, only to request us to save the remaining interview for another time, having to leave for yet another of his missions. Albeit a little dejected at the rendezvous cut short, we left with enough to comfort us about the future of our planet’s wild denizens.
                                                                                                                                           Spriha Srivastava