 That India records an enormous natural history is a well-known fact. Yet few people are aware of the various eras in this country's past that did much to make or mar its remarkable wildlife history. Mahesh Rangarajan's book is a sterling effort in bridging this divide, incorporating well-researched facts with a lucid style.
Drawing upon memoirs, archives and official records, the author brings new insights to bear upon age-old encounters between human beings and animals. The focus of the book is on landmarks in the history of Indian wildlife, in both its conservation and decline. The chapters on the ancient period of animal worship and medieval period of the Mughals (when hunting became a political manoeuvre!) sketch out India's early wildlife history. The onslaught of the British rulers against "Dangerous Beasts" is dealt with in great detail. So also are the Great Hunts of the early century, when Princes and British officials went on their merry sprees of massacre.
Then the slow efforts to reverse these trends begin, and hunter-turned-conservationists come to the fore. Prominent pioneers, like Jim Corbett and Salim Ali, are given due credit, and the author does not fail to mention lesser-known conservationists as well. Low profile species and landscapes in danger are also dealt with effectively. The final chapter of the book, although titled "The Second Wildlife Crisis", looks forward with hope. Successful conservation schemes are highlighted, as also is the diminishing effect of Project Tiger. "The past can serve as a guideline to options for the present," is the message of the author.
 Published in association with the Ranthambore Foundation, India's Wildlife History is an edifying book for the general reader - an easy-to-read, concise account of the history of Indian wildlife. Mahesh Rangarajan, a well-known historian of ecological change, is said to be working on a full-length history of wildlife conservation and hunting in India. Certainly a book to watch out for!
Published by Permanent Black
Hardbound, Price Rs 250/-
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