Notes All in One

Pages 59 and 60 ( Part -2 —– leading to unpleasant situations.)

Shaaz Jung is a wildlife photographer, cinemato
grapher, big cat tracker, man-animal conflict resolution
seeker and lodge owner– all rolled into one. When he’s
away from the jungles of Nagarhole, officially called The
Rajiv Gandhi National Park, he’s leading photography
safaris in Africa or showcasing his work at Art Galleries
in capital cities and speaking to those interested in
conserving the planet’s riches.
Shaaz recalls with great clarity the incident that
ultimately leads to his answering the call of the felines over
a career dedicated to finance. “It was somewhere around
sunset. We were at a junction. The deer were calling,” he
says, “we went around a blind turn,” he continues, “and up
ahead on the path was this old leopard. You could tell he
was past his prime. The jungle had taken a toll on him. He
only had three canines. His eyes were sagging. Close to
this leopard was another very young, good looking male
who was soon to come into his prime. It was like looking
at the past and the present. It was clear that there was
going to be a fight. Unfortunately, the sun was setting,
and we had to leave. But the next morning, I went back
to the spot. Sitting on a high rock was that young leopard.
Blood was dripping from a gash across his face. He sat
there like he was ‘king of the jungle’. I knew right then
that he had taken over, that it was the beginning of a new
journey for him. And for me.” Photographs of that leopard, the victor, Scarface,
as Shaaz named him, not only made Shaaz famous
among India’s wildlife community, but also led to
Shaaz’s enviable reputation as a chronicler of the wild.
“Through my journey of photographing Scarface, I have
discovered other leopards, his mates and discovered his
nemises– tigers. I also discovered the current protagonist
of my work–Saya–while tracking Scarface. This is the
world’s first black panther, the behaviour of which is
being documented so intimately on camera, by tracking
its movements. So far all the research on the animal has
been done through camera traps.” Through many months
of toil, Shaaz has managed to collect precious footage,
including that of the animal mating, to piece together the
incredible landscape of a black panther’s life.
Saya, Scarface and Pardus, the leopard that lost
to Scarface, have also led Shaaz down a different path
of discovery. Learning about them and the loss to their
habitat has led Shaaz to create the Buffer Conflict
Resolution Trust of India (BCRTI). It’s an agency that
educates villagers who live on the fringe of the forest on
the importance of conservation. “We are in the heart of
the man-animal conflict zone,” explains Shaaz. “There
is no specifc buffer zone here around Nagarhole. The
core area of the forest ends where the fields begin. In dry
season elephant and wild boar incursions into fields are
very common. Older leopards, like Pardus, who have lost
territory in the forest often carry away livestock from
villages.” This creates resentment among locals towards
the animals on occasions leading to unpleasant situations.

A1. 1] How long did Shaaz spend tracking Saya for the documentary?
a) One year
b) many months
c) Five years
d) Ten years
2] What is the name of the resort Shaaz helps run?
a) Jungle Lodge
b) Bison Resort
c) Kabini Camp
d) Safari Haven

A2: Complete the Web Chart

A3: Why was the sunset encounter with the leopards a turning point for Shaaz?
A4. How does Shaaz’s journey motivate you?
A5. Grammar
1] There is no specific buffer zone here around Nagarhole. (Rewrite as a Rhetorical Question)
2] Photographs of that leopard, the victor, Scarface, as Shaaz named him, not only made Shaaz famous
among India’s wildlife community but also led to Shaaz’s enviable reputation as a chronicler of the wild. (Rewrite using as well as)
A6. Write one word from the passage which mean
1) Sharp teeth of mammals –
2) Person who films movies or documentaries –
3) Recorded video material –
4) Winner of a contest –