An octogenarian ex-forest guard fights to preserve Kashmir's wildlife

A retired forest guard, Wani recently got a Lifetime Service Award along with Rs 1 lakh cash prize from Sanctuary Magazine and ABN Amro Bank as a "Green Warrior", in recognition of his years of service. His feeble voice and frail body belie the hope he represents for wildlife in India, but hear him speak and his commitment is all too obvious. Even at 60, he was known to chase down young woodcutters who trespassed into the Dachigam forest.On one such occasion, while confiscating their equipment he recovered wire snares, which led to a warning: "Your whole life will be ruined if you try this again." Surprisingly, the poachers heeded his threat.

In Wani’s own words, "For 60 years, I have fought a beast called man to protect the Hangul (a Himalayan deer species) from extinction. For the last 12 years, we have had to battle both militants as well as security personnel camped inside the area," says Wani in a choked voice. "It’s been a terrible period for wildlife in India."

Spread over 140 sq km, Dachigam National Park is the home of the magnificent Hangul or Kashmir stag, plus a wide range of fauna including the elusive snow leopard, marten, ibex and musk deer, hill fox, the yellow throated marten and wild boar. The numerous streams from the Dachigam forests feed Srinagar’s Harwan reservoir, making the park a crucial catchment area. The Himalayan ice melts to form the pristine Dal Lake. "If it is not conserved, the whole area will be left without clean water," Wani stresses.

Wani was only five when the erstwhile maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, felt he should be taken in as an apprentice. Wani’s father was a shikari in the royal service. "I used to accompany them to the woods. Being with them is how I learnt to distinguish birdcalls and pug marks. Dachigam Park was the king’s personal hunting ground. Post-independence, it was converted into a national park. My obvious move was to become a forest guard." Today, Wani is a walking encyclopedia. His knowledge of animal behaviour, particularly of the Himalayan black bear and Hangul, is unparalleled. Sanctuary editor Bittu Sahgal recalls, "Once we were walking through the forest when suddenly he stopped and asked me to lie flat on the ground. We waited like this for over 20 minutes. Suddenly, from our left, a female black bear with two four-month-old cubs emerged."

"Over the next hour, the female fed her young mulberries from a nearby bush. I asked him how he knew the bear would appear, and he responded that he had heard it walking parallel to us and knew it would soon cross the road ahead to get to the oak forest. The mulberry bush, he said, was just a bonus."

Though Wani is disturbed by the present situation in the Kashmir Valley, he admits militancy has an advantage—it keeps poachers at bay. In fact, according to him, the Hangul population has actually risen in the last few years. "But the constant booming of guns disturbs the animals and they stray into villages where they are killed," he says.

In the last 60 years, Wani is known to have advised even chief forest officers about the wild animals’ habitat in the Valley. He’s also taught animal behaviour to more conservationists and scientists than he can recall. The green warrior says, "I don’t even recollect the names of most of them. They came from all over the world—Japan, England, the US."

Though retired, Wani has in no way given up his life’s work. He still treads the Dachigam valleys punctuated with a profusion of birch, oak, elm, willow, walnut and poplar trees. But he is disturbed by the attitude of the present breed of forest staff. "There are a few enthusiastic people, but for most it’s just another job. We went without food and water for days chasing poachers and protecting the animals. All this for Rs 30 a month. Today’s guards have cushy lives—with good salaries, accommodation and perks. Yet, most of them don’t feel for the forest."

But he still has hope. "I pray daily for better days in the Kashmir Valley," he says. As long as there are dedicated souls people like Wani, India’s forests too can hope for better days. For further details, contact Qasim Wani, c/o Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K Government, Tourist Reception Centre, Srinagar 190001.