By Jenica Amalita
World Wildlife Conservation Day echoes the timeless teachings of folklore— where every creature and every landscape is intrinsically connected. But urbanisation, modernisation, and unchecked human greed have distanced us from sustainable, eco-centric ways of living.
Folklore offers us a space of restoration. Its stories of forests, rivers, and animal guardians offer a cultural blueprint for a harmonious life alongside other creature that inhabit the earth.
Folk narratives often highlight deep human dependence on nature. Shaped by indigenous wisdom, these tales call for balance, respect and co-existence.
Folk stories rooted in ecological knowledge, help communities navigate shared spaces, where human life overlaps with wildlife. They mediate moments of conflict and inspire contemplation on responsible living.
The Andamanese folkstory of Jiro Mithe entails the capture and rescue of a young boy from a sea monster. This tale recounts the dangers manifest in navigating natural spaces as well as the difficulties associated with sustenance. However, the story is also a mythological account of how birds were created from humans and offers an explanation for the Jero tribe’s refusal to eat birds. In doing so, the story creates a space for environmental preservation on the basis of respect.
In opening conservation zones to thoughtful human interaction, we affirm the significance of the traditional practices in the times to come. It is a reminder that we are part of a larger ecological web; coexistence is not optional, it is fundamental.
This can be seen in The Secret of the Talking Bird, where a fowler named Timma catches a parrot and releases it on the condition that it’ll bring him good fortune. Timma soon becomes the king’s favorite, leading to power struggles in the court, leading to his needing the parrot’s help to fulfill the ridiculous demands made of him, highlighting one’s dependence on nature.
In Temple for a Dog, we see a loyal dog accompanying his master as he goes to the temple everyday. On one such morning, he sacrifices his life to protect his owner from a crocodile. Touched by the dog’s love, its owners built a shrine for it.
This folktale helps us see how the deep bonds man builds with other species is linked to his own survival. Honouring these relationships and building more of them through conservation efforts will only lead to progress and development.
The need for dialogue between conservation efforts and folklore goes beyond national boundaries. Folklore across the world documents the time-honoured relationship between man and wildlife.
This can be seen in the Iranian tale of The Hakim and His Vizier. A hakim relentlessly asks for the life of an innocent young man, mistaking his intentions. It is only through narrating instances of innocence and loyalty in animals and birds that the Hakim comes to see truth.
Every aspect of our existence impacts the natural order of events in the natural world. Even the death of a miniscule insect can challenge the normalcy of our everyday life.
All these stories point to the complex web of relations we share with the natural world and celebrate this diversity, adding more dimensions to our conservation efforts.
According to IUCN, more than 48,600 species of global wildlife are endangered and on the brink of extinction.
To support our planet, you can
- Educate yourself on legal enactments like the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Environment (Protection) Act 1986.
- Donate or volunteer at organisations like Wildlife Trust of India and the Wildlife Protection Society of India
- Disengage from unsustainable practices that necessitate encroachment into forest