Before I start, I want to clarify that my intention is not to review any series but to reflect on something that I wasn't aware of, and this series was an eye-opener. Now let's dive in.
If you haven't watched the Netflix series 'Poacher' yet, I strongly recommend it. It's a beautifully crafted and informative series that sheds light on the illegal activities of poaching and taught me about the crucial role elephants play in our ecosystem. The series is based on incidents in Kerala, and as a Keralite, I felt a deep connection.
Kerala is known as "God's own country" because of its stunning green beauty. However, maintaining this beauty takes immense effort and risks, both now and in the future. The series showed how a group of humans brutally poaches elephants for their financial gain and luxury. It was heartbreaking to learn about these brutal incidents.
Elephants in Kerala are the master engineers of the forest, maintaining the ecosystem in a unique way. They are constantly on the move for at least 16 hours a day, clearing the way for other species to thrive. They also play a crucial role in seed dispersal and habitat improvement. Every day, elephants consume over 180kg of foliage, with only 45% being digested, while the rest is released as dung, promoting seed germination. Elephant dung is highly nutritious and contains a lot of water, which helps seedlings survive and thrive.
In addition to afforestation, elephants play a vital role in habitat maintenance. Their movement creates clearings in dense forests, serving as important pathways for a variety of other species. Elephants also help clear the forest canopy, allowing more light to reach the forest floor, promoting the growth of ground-dwelling flora and increasing species richness.
Elephants also help prevent forest fires, especially in forest edges, a fact known and unknown to many.
After watching the series, I was inspired to learn more about elephants, leading to the information I've shared. What struck me deeply was that, despite our awareness of climate change and our efforts to combat it, preservation of wildlife seemed to be overlooked. They are the reason we have clean air to breathe; they keep us alive. We have to raise awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife not just for their sake but also for the well-being of our planet and ultimately ourselves. So, I can't help but think, aren't we responsible for them and, most importantly, keeping them safe from human predators.
While I'm sure government officials in every country do their best to conserve wildlife, as people living on this planet, it's also our responsibility to take care of the environment and do whatever we can in our own small ways. Therefore, I urge everyone reading this to take a small step forward towards this cause. I believe there are many actions we can take to conserve these precious creatures.
Let's begin by not using them for our entertainment purposes. Please, do think about it.
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