Many of you have read whenever I have written about Hemant's story. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your interest. Now an anti-poaching unit leader, the loss of his father who was killed by an elephant affected Hemant deeply. It still does.
Earlier this year Hemant told me something that touched me well within. Although I had met Hemant not long after his father died our working relationship effectively started several months later. We had a bond in our shared vision for community conservation and I was only too happy for my organization WildTiger to help Hemant where we could. Near the middle of 2011 I became seriously ill, the "E" strain of Hepatitis nearly knocking me over completely. I had to leave South Asia suddenly and ended up in an Australian hospital.
Hemant told me that during this time he could not stand the thought of another loss in his life. Not long after his father died I had sat next to the deep footprint the elephant had made as the massive tusker lunged at Om Prasad in his final moment. One evening during my illness Hemant lit a candle for me at that spot. Hemant told me how he prayed to his father to give me the strength to recover.
I did recover and have since visited again the spot where Hemant lit the candle. As I write this I am less than a day from being back in Bardia. A series of events complicated by the election process currently taking place here in Nepal means I have another of those grueling 15 hour bus trips to get to this jungle area which is never far from my thoughts no matter where I am in the world. Bardia is a special place. Although my every day there is cherished there were two tiger encounters in one day earlier this year that will forever be etched in my mind, so intimate and unusual they were.
I will talk to Ramesh Thapa to discuss Hemant's progress and future. Ramesh is an integral part of the anti-poaching set up in Bardia, he is one of the reasons this western Nepal national park has become one of the most important tiger habitats in the world.
Ramesh said to me recently that Hemant was serving conservation with honesty and integrity. That pleased me immensely, surely it is all anyone can ask. Conservation, like nearly every aspect in the world we live in, faces huge challenges compounded by corruption, dishonesty, ego and misinformation. In saying that, there are also some outstanding people working with passion and dedication, particularly those at ground level.
Hemant is a face for human/wildlife conflict. Despite his loss, Hemant brings to conservation the qualities that Ramesh talks about although his journey still has a long way to go. More soon, watch this space...
But while on the subjects of tiger, honesty and integrity I urge you if you haven't already to read John Vaillant's epic book 'The Tiger'. Our relationship with the natural world is examined as John recounts this astonishing true story. The book reads like a thriller such is the power of this story. The issue of human/wildlife conflict is a complicated one which is why the research needed to produce such a book needed to be of the highest quality. Believe me it is. You wont regret reading 'The Tiger' ... you'll come away questioning your own connection to the natural world as well as that of humanity as a whole.
A really powerful, enjoyable read ... do it!
Ok, I've got another leg in my journey coming up ... more from this land of the tiger soon...
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