Couple creates their own nature sanctuary from land deemed 'unusable,' demonstrating wildlife's amazing ability to bounce back
Isabelle Z.
(NaturalNews) When they bought 55 acres of abandoned land from debt-ridden farmers who were struggling to grow crops in 1991, Pamela and Anil Malhotra had one vision in mind: to show the world Mother Nature's incredible ability to regenerate itself when given the opportunity. That land has now become India's only private wildlife sanctuary, and has extended across 300 acres.
The Malhotras' land is known as the Save Animals Initiative (SAI) Sanctuary, and it is now thriving thanks to three simple but important rules that they set out: No poaching, no human interference and no chopping down of trees. The beautiful forest is home to a host of exotic animals such as Wild Boars, Hyenas, Asian Elephants, Leopards and Bengal Tigers. It boasts more than 300 species of birds and a number of species of aquatic fish and snakes, along with hundreds of native tree varieties and thick green cover.
This project shows the tremendous possibilities that can arise from restoring the balance necessary for nature to thrive.
Anil Malhotra said, "People think that animals need the forest. But the truth is, the forest needs the animals equally. While the forest helps animals in providing shelter and food, animals help forests in regeneration – they are both inter-dependent and we should make efforts to preserve both."
To illustrate this point, Pamela Malhotra explained that elephants can swallow seeds entirely without breaking them, despite the large size of the seeds. In fact, she said that 30 species of trees are completely dependent on elephants for their regeneration.
The couple also uses the land for organic farming, including approximately 15 acres of cardamom and 12 acres of coffee. Their sanctuary runs entirely on alternative energy sources such as solar energy, and in 2014, it was awarded the "Wildlife and Tourism Initiative of the Year" by Sanctuary Asia. The couple initially invested their own money in the sanctuary, but they are now a registered not-for-profit trust run on tax-exempt donations.
Deforestation putting entire planet at risk
The deforestation that is taking place in the equatorial region is the driving force behind the world's water crisis, and is leading to a devastating loss of animal, plant and insect species, putting the overall balance of our planet at great risk. This same lack of water that prompted farmers to sell their barren land to the Malhotras to pay off debts, is also what spurs other farmers to use herbicides and fertilizers, which cause even more harm to the environment.
Deforestation remains a large problem throughout the world. Nearly half of the planet's ten million plant, animal and microorganism species are projected to be either destroyed or seriously threatened in the next 25 years as a result of the deforestation of rain forests, and it is believed that 137 animal and plant species are lost each day.
If you think that doesn't affect you, think again: More than 3,000 plants are thought to be active against cancer cells, and a staggering 70 percent of these are only found in rain forests. Those are just the ones we know about; it's possible that these plants could also hold the answer to countless other health problems, and they could even cure cancer or AIDS.
Wildlife can bounce back remarkably
The Malhotras, for their part, have accomplished their goal. Their land has proven that when humans stop interfering with nature, the earth and the life it contains is able to thrive.
"Our aim is to preserve the flora and fauna, especially the rainforests, for the future generation. We believe that when we die we should give back the same (if not better) Earth which we got from our ancestors to the next generation," Anil said.
Sources include:
http://www.naturalnews.com/z053941_usable_land_wildlife_sanctuary_human_interference.html#ixzz48j6hRUOy