Bhunte: The baby elephant

Bhunte loves his home. There are many trees and many of his friends around. But, there is also a plant- Lantana. It has pretty flowers and attracts many birds. The birds feed on berries and fly away. Within a decade or more, the Lantana has spread all over the forests. The dark side behind these pretty plants is that it had covered the entire forests and restricted the growth of many kinds of grass and other plants. It is not only Bhunte and his herd who are now forced to travel outside the forests for feeding, but also many animals feeding on grasses and other varieties of plants. As the Lantana has devastated their home and food. When they come out, they become victims of poaching and conflicts. Lantana was brought as the ornamental plant and now it has spread all across. Bhunte observes two birds feeding on the Lantana’s berries. When Bhunte went near, they flew away. One of them defecated on Bhunte’s body. Bhunte knows that these birds will carry the seeds further. Bhunte urges humans to plant a plant whose biology they know, the aesthetic looks of the plants should not one day invade all the forests and displacing many small native herbs and shrubs. These plants outcompete the native flora and finally, the forests will be gone…