Into the wild

What can I do to save a species like the tiger?

Collect as much money as you can and give it to genuine groups who don't waste it on advertising and giving t-shirts with slogans but those who keep jeeps, guns, pay for lawyers and work with the police in and around reserves to save not just tigers but also their prey – deer, monkeys etc.

Plant as many trees as you can. One tree that saves a species locally goes a long way towards saving key species elsewhere on the planet. Don't eat meat. Most tigers are killed by goatherds and buffalo owners who want the forest for their animal grazing. Less cattle and goats feeding in the forests so that their owners can sell them for your meat, means more tigers immediately. Fight with your e-mail, voice and whatever you have against any attempt by the government to divert forests for any reason. Do not go to resorts that are anywhere near tiger territory. These are usually illegal and many of them take tourists into the forests illegally.

Why are so many whales getting washed on beaches? Can I help the situation?

The frequency of whale beaching seems to have increased over the last few decades. Experts believe that man-made factors are the main reasons driving this phenomenon. There are many factors involved, the most common reasons are enlisted below:

Pollution: Experts believe that chemical pollution causes whales to be born with deformities. It also affects live whales and can kill them. These dead whales are then brought in ashore by the tides. This pollution is mainly caused by humans releasing dangerous and toxic chemicals into water bodies.

Confusion: Whales ascertain their location and navigate through a method known as echolocation, where they use sounds as a navigation tool. Many scientists believe that man-made sonar can interfere with a whale's navigation system and leave them disoriented, causing them to go into shallow waters – eventually, these whales wash up on land.

Global Warming: The heat from the earth's surface can cause icebergs to melt which, in turn, causes a shift in the tides of water bodies which could lead schools of fish towards shallow waters. These groups of fishes serve as a food source for whales.

Disoriented pack leader: Whales are highly social animals that travel in large pods. In some cases, if the pack leader is sick/confused, it could lead the entire group of whales to wash up ashore.

As an individual, we can take small steps which would go long way into preventing whales beaching. The first thing you can do is stop using plastics, cosmetics with microbeads , bottled water, balloons that pollute the oceans. These plastics break down into micro plastics that infiltrate the food chain of all sea life, harming the health and well-being of whales.

As humans, our contribution could also be in the form of controlling pollution and global warming. To not only provide a healthy environment for ourselves but also for other creatures who exists alongside. Start by planting hundreds of trees in your area.

(Views expressed and information provided are personal. Send your questions to [email protected])