Friday, April 15, 2011

ಹುಲಿಯ ಜೀವನ

ಹುಲಿಗಳೆಂದರೆ ನನಗೆ ಬಹಳ ಇಷ್ಟ. ಹುಲಿಗಳೊಂದೆ ಅಲ್ಲ, ಎಲ್ಲ ಪ್ರಾಣಿಗಳು ನನಗೆ ಇಷ್ಟ. ಆದರೆ ಮರ್ಜಾಲಗಳ ಮೇಲಿನ ಅಧ್ಯಯನ ತಕ್ಕಮಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಇದೆ. ಕೆನೆತ್ ಆಂಡರ್ಸನ್ ಮತ್ತು ಜಿಮ್ ಕಾರ್ಬೆಟ್ ಮುಂತಾದವರ ನರಭಕ್ಷಕ ಹುಲಿ, ಚಿರತೆಗಳ ಬೇಟೆಗಳ ಸುಮಾರು ಎಲ್ಲ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳನ್ನೂ ಓದಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ಇತ್ತೀಚಿಗೆ ಉಲ್ಲಾಸ ಕಾರಂತ್ ರವರ "ಹುಲಿಯ ಬದುಕು" ಎನ್ನುವ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದಿದೆ. ಇದು ಯಾವುದೇ ಬೇಟೆಯ ಕಥೆಯಲ್ಲ. ಬದಲಾಗಿ ಹುಲಿಗಳ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ ಕ್ಷೀಣಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಮತ್ತು ನಮ್ಮ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಪ್ರಾಣಿಯಾದ ಹುಲಿಯನ್ನು ಮುಂದಿನ ಪೀಳಿಗೆಗೆ ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಬಗೆಯನ್ನು ವೈಜ್ಞಾನಿಕ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಕೋನದಿಂದ ನೋಡುವ ಒಂದು ಗ್ರಂಥ. (ಮೂಲ: "The Way of The Tiger" by "Dr. K Ullas Karanth", ಅ:"ಹುಲಿಯ ಬದುಕು" )

ಮೊನ್ನೆ ಮೊನ್ನೆ ನಡೆದ ಹುಲಿಗಳ ಗಣತಿಯ ವಿಧಾನವನ್ನು ಭಾರತ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಬಹಿರಂಗಪಡಿಸಿಲ್ಲ. ಕೇವಲ ಹುಲಿಗಳ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ 2007 ರ 1411 ರಿಂದ 1636 ( 1706 ಬಾಂಗ್ಲಾದೇಶದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಹೊಂದಿಕೊಂಡಿರುವ ಸುಂದರ್ ಬನ್ ಹುಲ್ಲುಗಾವಲನ್ನೂ ಸೇರಿಸಿ, ಏಕೆಂದರೆ ಹಿಂದಿನ ಗಣತಿ ಸುಂದರ್ ಬನ್ ಹುಲ್ಲುಗಾವಳನ್ನು ಒಳಗೊಂಡಿಲ್ಲ) ಕ್ಕೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿದೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಈ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆಯ ನಿಖರತೆ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಉಲ್ಲಾಸ ಕಾರಂತ್ ರವರೂ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಪ್ರಖ್ಯಾತ ಜೀವ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಿಗಳು ಸಂದೇಹ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಪಡಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

ಅದೇನೇ ಇರಲಿ, ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಯ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮತ್ತು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿದ ಜನಸಂಖ್ಯೆ ಮತ್ತವರ ಅವಶ್ಯಕತೆಗಳಿಗಾಗಿ ಹುಲಿಯ ಆವಸವಾದ ಕಾಡುಗಳ ನಾಶ, ವಿವಿಧ ಕಾರಣಗಳಿಗಾಗಿ ಹುಲಿಯ ಮತ್ತು ಹುಲಿಯ ಬಲಿಪ್ರಾಣಿಗಳ ಕಳ್ಳ ಬೇಟೆ, ಕಾಡ್ಗಿಚ್ಚು, ಹೀಗೆ ಅನೇಕ ಕಾರಣಗಳಿಂದ ಹುಲಿಗಳ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ ಕ್ಷೀಣಿಸುತ್ತಿದೆ ಎಂಬುದಂತೂ ನಿಜ. ಈ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಕನಿಷ್ಠ ಇನ್ನು ಮುಂದಾದರೂ ಏನು ಮಾಡಿದಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಲಿಗಳು ಗಮನಾರ್ಹವಾಗಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಬಹುದು ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಯಲು 40 ನಿಮಿಷದ ಈ ಕಿರುಚಿತ್ರವನ್ನು (documentary) ತಪ್ಪದೆ ವೀಕ್ಷಿಸಿ.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Vibhooti Falls and Gokarna

When I was in hostel, Shimoga while studying engineering (2002-2006), we went to many places. This is about one such trip, when we went to Vibhooti falls (also called Mabage falls, since its near Mabage village) and Gokarna.

It was November 1st, 2003, Saturday and we had holiday because of Kannada Rajyotsava. We planned to have one day trip, starting early, about 4 AM, go to Vibhooti falls, about which we had read in "Taranga", a Kannada magazine (article titled Mabage falls), play for sometime and start from there and go to Gokarna and come back to Shimoga late night reserving next day for rest(Sunday). We didn't know by then that we would not come back on the same night due to unforeseen circumstances!

8 years back we were not used to Internet search. So, we just followed what was written in the magazine. And by doing so, we took a longer route of Shimoga-Sagar-Honnavar-Kumta-Mabage. The better route was Shimoga to Sirsi and then to Mattighatta, Devanalli via Hegadekatta and from there to Vaddi Ghat from Vaddi cross and Mabage. As per our plan, we started around 4 30 AM and reached Honnavar via Sagar around 9. Having breakfast at Honnavar, we started towards Kumta and after about 20km from Kumta, took deviation to the right at the place where deviation to the left goes to Gokarna. We further traveled for about 22 km enquiring Mabage village. From here, left deviation goes to Yana at a distance of about 8 km and right one goes to Vibhooti falls, again at a distace of 8km. It was around 11 when we reached Vibhooti falls after about 2km trekking.

Vibhooti falls is a two stepped falls. Water collects at the bottom to form a pool which is a good place to swim and play. We played for about two hours and started back to our vehicle. We retraced to NH17 and took deviation towards Gokarna, where our lunch was arranged.

I usually take front seat near driver, since I would love to watch driving (back then). Likewise, I was sitting at the front seat while most were asleep. There was a right curve and I could see a car coming from opposite direction but the sad part was our driver didn't see it! In a fraction of second of thinking why our driver is driving dangerously on the right lane, a loud noise, "Dhab", is heard. I could see our vehicle hitting a local car. An accident. Soon we got down from our vehicle and people started gathering. Luckily only the car was damaged but the family inside were safe.

We were 30 boys, all aged between 18-21, most were only in shorts, not expected to be treated well in a situation like that. We waited by road side for about 3 hrs and finally, after our vehicle owner agreed to come down to Gokarna, we were allowed to move but the vehicle had to be in police station until the owner arrives from Shimoga. It was 6 pm by the time we sat for lunch! We roamed Gokarna main streets and called the day off to settle at a place for the night, 10 each in 3 rooms.

Next day, visit to Mahabaleshwara temple was followed by playing in Om beach till evening. By then our vehicle owner and the car owner had compromised, so we could start our return journey. It was 10 30 PM or so when we started from Honnavar towards Shimoga after supper. Reached Shimoga around 3 AM. Thus, our one day trip was extended to 2 days with one day vehicle rent!