New and Wild Possibilities in Umred

This article is dedicated to the group that I had no idea existed before my visit to India in 2011. A group that worked hard to open new possibilities for the town called Umrer (or Umred).

It was in April, a visit back to my hometown after a long time. The town itself had not changed much except for the new buildings stretching farther than I had seen last. People were the same and so was the feeling that I get each time I enter the town after a while. Bringing memories of the past and excitement of getting to see my family and the nature around town. As soon as I had finished meeting everyone, I looked around the house and building to see new developments and I saw the strangest thing. A poster hung up in one of the spare rooms in my parents’ house which read – WLCDC – We belong to Tigers.

Apparently, my brother had allowed this NGO (Wild Life Conservation & Development Centre) to use the space as their temporary office. Knowing my brother, it should not have come as a surprise. His love for animals and birds is known to everyone in the family. But an office of a Wild Life Conservation group in my parent’s house? Tigers… in Umred?

You see, what I remember from my childhood most fondly are the trips to wild life sanctuaries that our parents would drive us to – all the way to other cities, in other states. Never in my wildest imagination however, would I have thought that many of those wild animals actually lived less than 10 km from my parents house.

Alright, maybe I was not the most knowledgeable one in the town, but in my defense it wasn’t common knowledge either….or was it??

This tiger in the photo apparently knew it all along.

I was still skeptical. Then, I saw snakes in jars being rescued from people’s houses and brought into my parents house! Was I thrilled about it? Noooo! of course not. I am talking about King Cobras, Russel Vipers, Banded Kraits and such other venomous snakes right outside the room where I stayed during my visit.

In any case, it was for a good cause and I supported it. Heck, I even accompanied them once to the jungle to watch them free those snakes in the wild. This place in the photo below looks very similar to where we released those snakes.

It still was not a protected area then and people would venture into the jungle on bicycles and bullock carts apparently, or so I have been told. Crazy? No kidding!

Snakes weren’t the only problem, one day I found my brother rushing to buy milk for a deer that they had rescued. I saw the bloodstained back seat of my brothers car seat and figured he has just gone crazy caring for these animals and the group.  But then I started to acknowledge that maybe these guys are onto something really good.

One day I accompanied my brother, Roheet Karoo (Director of the group) and the Forest Department into the jungle as they had sighted a Tiger. I could not believe my eyes. It was Chaitram! That’s the name of the tiger, so I was told. Watching Chaitram, right there close to my home town suddenly made me feel like the whole place was dwarfed by its majestic aura. Not that I had not seen a tiger before, but it was thrilling to think of the times that we had walked in the trees close to the area as kids unaware of this dangerous but beautiful beast lurking around. As we drove back to the road, not even a kilometer away, we saw people working in their farms.

And now that the place has officially been opened to tourists, everyone else around the area can see what I am talking about. Tourists in Umred, who knew?

This reminds me of the day when my brother asked me to look over and vet the report that WLCDC had created. They were seeking Government protection for the wild life in this area. I was impressed with the extensive data that the Group members had collected on animals like Sloth Bears, Leopards, Tigers, Spotted Deer, Wild Boars, Foxes and many others.  I can only imagine the hours spent by them and all the different stories of struggle, adventure and excitement they must have lived through during the information gathering process. Maybe someday they will share their stories.

I wish I knew the names of all the members involved but congratulations to all of you and to Roheet Karoo who played a major part and I believe spearheaded the initiative.

Here is the link to their Facebook page. Now, go ahead and like their page to show your support for them and their cause.

All the photos posted here have been provided by Abhijit Wegad. Thank you Bro for the photos and for being you. 🙂