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Literary Review
Labour of love
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We are biodiversity millionaires and this multimedia CD-ROM leaves one in no doubt that it is the most valuable of assets, says RANJIT LAL.
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IN the past few years, "biodiversity" has become a much bandied about catchphrase, used by just about anyone talking about wildlife, conservation and environmental issues. So much so that one sometimes forgets exactly what this convenient, all-encompassing word means, and sometimes you wonder whether all those who use it so freely really understand what it stands for.
This CD-ROM clarifies exactly that, and after you've browsed through it, will leave you in no doubt that India's bewildering biodiversity is perhaps its most valuable asset of all — which is why it must be protected at all costs.
We are biodiversity millionaires, but are busy squandering our wealth in the name of "development" instead of preserving and enhancing it.
Click on "Biodiversity" in the Main Menu to get a clear understanding of what biodiversity is, why it should be protected, how it is lost, how it can be preserved and what are the main biodiversity issues concerning us. From here, you can click on "Genetic Diversity", "Species Diversity" and "Ecosystem Diversity" for an explanation of what these are. As the booklet accompanying the CD-ROM explains, "Biodiversity, which is the living aspect of Nature, is present at three levels; in Species diversity, which is the variety of species of plants and animals; in genetic diversity, which is the genetic variability of individuals; and in Ecosystem diversity which is the ensemble of species that are organised into ecosystems."
Species-wise, we are a mega-diversity nation: India has 45,000 species of plants and 77,000 species of animals, 7 and 6.4 per cent respectively of the world's species.
Within species, there is bewildering genetic diversity. More relevantly these days, the genetic permutations and combinations are being used to "engineer" new crops and in genetic engineering. Preserving genetic biodiversity is important for India's future economic growth and development.
And then, India has distinct biogeographic zones, an ecosystem diversity which few countries in the world can match.
The section on National Parks and Sanctuaries takes you on a visual (and audio) trip through many of our precious protected areas, highlighting their importance, and perhaps their "star" species. Happily, small creatures and plants have been given their due as equally important links in the "web of life" as have been the glamour species, such as tigers and elephants, and I would suspect that Dr. Bharucha has a soft corner for the small and neglected.
The section on "Ecosystem People" provides a brief "keyhole" look at people-conservation issues, reminding us of the wealth of knowledge that tribals possess about our jungles and their denizens. The section dealing with "Conservation" outlines the conservation strategies that have been adapted in the past decades, and why biodiversity needs to be conserved.
To get the best of this CD-ROM, I would suggest you go through it systematically at first, to get an idea about what each section is about. Once this is done, you can turn yourself loose as it were, and wander through it as your whim takes you. There are links and signposts everywhere — and this "wandering in the jungle" exercise can be entertaining and revealingly educative.
For data demons, there are statistics, tables and graphs. All such factual material has been clearly sourced and dated. Technical terms are defined and pictures captioned.
Dr. Bharucha, whose work readers of environmental magazines (such as Sanctuary) are familiar with, has roamed the protected areas of India for the past 35 years and has long been associated with various conservation organisations. He has been "principal investigator" for several conservation research projects, with special focus on "conflict resolution between the needs of conservation and people".
The 1,300 images in this CD-ROM (in addition there are 400 illustrations, 5 animations, 21 video clips and 26 bird calls) from 62 national parks and sanctuaries, speak of a labour of love over a lifetime.
Finding one's way through this CD-ROM was no problem, even for someone like me, more used to flipping back and forth through books. There appeared to be some repetition of images in the "slide shows" — but this could have been due to my computer, which had been heading for a major heart attack! Picture quality has suffered in some cases, and the background music and jungle sounds are a little repetitive, and sometimes can be sort of out of place.
But both for children and adults, this CD-ROM should be a "must" regardless of whether they are, or are not, interested in the subject in the first place. For those who don't have any (or much of an) idea of what biodiversity is all about, it gives a dazzling, kaleidoscopic eye-opener, into a wonderful realm. For people like myself, who have long been fascinated by all things natural, but in a rather disorganised, dishevelled sort of way, it has tidied up the cupboard in my head, and provided clear reference points from where to proceed.
The Biodiversity of India, Erach Bharucha, Mapin Publishing in association with Tata Power Company, CD-ROM.
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