In the year 1941, a biologist came to vacation at Mt. Abu, but ended up cementing his place in the history of Rajasthan by writing two pivotal research articles on the local biodiversity. His research is still very relevant today.
Born in India, Yule Mervyn Charles McCann ( December 4th, 1899 – November 29th, 1980) was an extremely intrepid and hardworking botanist. McCann spent years conducting research alongside India’s leading botanist at the time, Ethelbert Blatter. He was also the Assistant Curator of the prestigious Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) , in addition to spending years editing its renowned journal, the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society (JBNHS). In the duration of his career, McCann published more than 200 research publications and also authored a book on the trees of India. His monograph on grass is still considered of particular relevance.
Yule Mervyn Charles McCann
In May 1916, McCann first visited Mt. Abu as a student. Unlike today, the area was still quite inaccessible and he described how it took 12 hours to cover a journey of 15 miles. He had been taken along for a botanical expedition by the ace botanist Ethelbert Blatter and Prof P.F. Halberg. McCann wrote that this expedition proved to be a pivotal moment in his life, which determined the direction of his future. He made various close observations on this expedition and analyzed them with the guidance of his mentors, Blatter and Prof. Halberg.
On October 7th, 1941, Charles McCann returned to Mt. Abu, this time on vacation and to meet his children, who studied there. His intention was to relax, and spare some time for his family and himself. Nevertheless, he also authored a brilliant research article during this time, and gave it a rather clever title – ‘A ‘Busman’s’ Holiday in the Abu Hills’ which was published in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society (JBNHS) the following year in 1942- 43(2):206-217. ‘Busman’s Holiday’ is a British expression, which implies how one spends their vacation time working or doing something similar instead of taking a break from it, much like the proverbial bus driver, who might spend his vacation driving to and from a holiday destination.
Charles McCann and his team
The publication itself contains very nuanced and detailed observations of various plants and animals, by a biologist with a deep understanding of nature. The document reveals the kind of back breaking hard work and time biologists invested back then, to identify organisms and explain their behavior. It can be said with certainty, that researchers, travel writers and wildlife conservationists will be impressed by McCann’s writing, and will simply not be able to resist the flow of new ideas borne of inspiration.
McCann published a second research article in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society (JBNHS) in 1943- 43:641–647. This one was titled, ‘The Rains Come to the Abu Hills’, and beautifully outlines the changes caused by the monsoon.
Abu Toad – Toad frog collected from Abu which is now preserved in New Zealand
Charles McCann continued to work with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) until 1946, before migrating to New Zealand shortly before Indian independence. Once in New Zealand, he donated his collection of specimens representing 700 reptile species to two museums! This too is considered rather remarkable, and in 2014, merited a publication by the Auckland Museum on McCann’s collection- Gill, B.J. and J.M.A. Froggatt (2014) The Indian herpetological collections of Charles McCann, Records of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Volume 49, Auckland, New Zealand.
On that note, dear nature lovers of Rajasthan, it is not too late, and you must read Charles McCann’s writings on Mt. Abu-
(1942) A ‘busman’s’ holiday in the Abu Hills. JBNHS. 43(2):206-217.
(1943) The rains come to the Abu hills. JBNHS. 43(4):641-647.
If you are unable to locate these publications, please contact the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) or send an email at dharmkhandal@gmail.com
Authors:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
वर्ष 1941 में माउंट आबू में छुट्टी मनाने आया एक बायोलॉजिस्ट वहां की जैव- विविधता पर शोध पत्र लिख कर राजस्थान के इतिहास का एक महत्वपूर्ण हिस्सा बन गया, उनकी शोध को आज भी प्रासांगिक माना जाता है।
युले मेरवीन चार्ल्स मेकैन (4 दिसंबर 1899 – 29 नवंबर 1980) भारत में ही जन्मे एक अत्यंत मेधावी और मेहनती वनस्पति शास्त्री थे। जिन्होंने भारत के प्रमुख वनस्पति शास्त्री एथेलबर्ट ब्लैटर के साथ वर्षो तक पेड़ पौधों पर शोध की। चार्ल्स मेकैन बॉम्बे नेचुरल हिस्ट्री सोसाइटी (BNHS) के संग्रहालय के सहयक क्यूरेटर रहे और वर्षो तक भारत के प्रसिद्ध जर्नल – JBNHS के संपादन का कार्य भी किया। इन्होने 200 से अधिक शोध पत्र और भारत के पेड़ो पर एक पुस्तक भी लिखी है। इनके द्वारा घास पर लिखा गया मोनोग्राफ अत्यंत महत्वपूर्ण माना गया है।
युले मेरवीन चार्ल्स मेकैन
मई 1916 , में एक छात्र के रूप में उनकी पहली माउंट आबू यात्रा की। उन दिनों में परिवहन के कोई सुलभ साधन नहीं होते थे तो वह लिखते है किस प्रकार उन्होंने १५ मील की यात्रा को १२ घंटे में पूरा किया। उनकी इस पहली यात्रा में प्रसिद्ध वनस्पति शास्त्री एथेलबर्ट ब्लैटर एवं प्रोफ. पी .ऍफ़. हॉलबेर्ग भी उनके साथ थे जो उन्हें एक बोटैनिकल यात्रा पर लेकर आये थे। चार्ल्स मेकैन लिखते है कि, किस प्रकार उनकी यह पहली यात्रा उनके जीवन में मील का पत्थर साबित हुई, जिसने उनके भविष्य की दिशा तय की। उन्होंने प्रकृति के विभिन्न पहलुँओं को नजदीक से देखा और ब्लैटर और हॉलबेर्ग जैसे विशेषज्ञो की मदद से उनका विश्लेषण किया।
चार्ल्स मेकैन 7 अक्टूबर 1941 को सपत्नी अपने बच्चो से मिलने माउंट आबू आये जो वहां पढ़ते थे। उनका विचार था स्वयं के लिए एवं परिवार के लिए खाली समय निकालने का और कार्य मुक्त होकर आराम करने का। परन्तु उन्होंने इस समय में भी एक शानदार शोध पत्र लिखा और बड़े मजेदार ढंग से उसे एक अनोखा शीर्षक दिया – A ‘Busman’s’ holiday in the Abu Hills जो 1942 के JBNHS – 43(2):206-217 के संस्करण में प्रकाशित हुआ था।
चार्ल्स मेकैन व उनके साथी
‘Busman’s’ holiday एक ब्रिटिश मुहावरा है जिसका मतलब है कि, किस प्रकार एक बस चालक छुट्टी मनाने जाता है, एवं तभी भी वह बस चलाते हुए जाता है और उसका छुट्टीवाला समय भी एक सामान्य कामकाजी समय के रूप में बीत जाता है।
यह शोध पत्र असल में प्रकृति की गहन समझ रखने वाले जीववैज्ञानिक की विभिन्न प्राणियों और पोधो पर अवलोकन का दस्तावेज है जिसे देख कर प्रेरणा मिलती है की एक जमाने में किस प्रकार के कठोर परिश्रम से लोग एक-एक जीव की पहचान और उनके व्यव्हार की व्याख्या करते थे। यह कहा जा सकता है कि, प्रकृति पर डायरी लिखने वाले शोधार्थी, यात्रा वृतांत लिखने वाले यायावर या वन्य जीवों का संरक्षण करनेवाले संरक्षणवादी सभी इनकी लेखनी से प्रभावित होंगे और नए विचारो के प्रवाह को रोक नहीं पायेंगे।
आबू टोड- आबू से एकत्रित किये गए टोड मेंढक जो अब नई ज़ीलैण्ड में सुरक्षित रखे गए है
उनका इसी क्रम में दूसरा शोध पत्र एक वर्ष पश्च्यात 1943 में JBNHS 43: 641–47 में प्रकाशित हुआ The rains come to the Abu Hills यह शोध पत्र अत्यंत खूबसूरती से लिखा गया है जो मानसून की बारिश से होने वाले बदलाव को रेखांकित करता है।
चार्ल्स मेकैन ने 1946 तक BNHS के साथ काम किया और उसके बाद, देश आजाद होने से पहले वह न्यू ज़ीलैण्ड चले गए। उन्होंने खुद के द्वारा संकलित किये गए सरीसर्पों के 700 स्पेसिमेन को वहां के दो मुख्य संग्रहालयों को भेंट कर दिये जो आज भी उनके द्वारा किये गए उल्लेखनीय कार्यो की श्रेणी में आते है। वर्ष 2014 , में भी न्यू ज़ीलैण्ड के ऑकलैंड म्यूजियम ने उनके द्वारा जमा किये गए सरीसर्पों के संग्रह पर एक शोध पत्र प्रकशित किया था- Gill, B.J. and J.M.A. Froggatt (2014) The Indian herpetological collections of Charles McCann, Records of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Volume 49, Auckland, New Zealand
खैर राजस्थान के प्रिय प्रकति प्रेमियों देर नहीं हुई आप चार्ल्स मेकैन के माउंट आबू पर लिखे हुए इन दो शोध पत्रों को अवस्य पढ़े –
(1942) A ‘busman’s’ holiday in the Abu Hills. JBNHS. 43(2):206-217.
(1943) The rains come to the Abu hills. JBNHS. 43(4):641-647.
आपको नहीं मिले तो BNHS से समपर्क करे अथवा dharmkhandal@gmail.com को मेल लिखे
लेखक:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
A widely held belief is that scavengers do not feed on the carcass of a dead tiger because even after it is dead, they continue to fear it.
After two sub-adult tigers were poisoned to death by villagers, a senior forest official remarked that the lacerations on their bodies were not caused by scavengers but were the handiwork of a male tiger. However, their bodies had been found approximately 24 hours after they died. Both of them had lacerations on their bodies that could have been caused by scavengers feeding on them, or wounds caused before or after their deaths. The forest official argued that even once it is dead, no scavenger dares touch a tiger because they continue to maintain a healthy fear of it. He added that there are many scavengers in the jungle that show such behaviour- the most prominent being golden jackals, striped hyenas etc. At face value, this appears to be very insightful knowledge possessed only by an individual with deep knowledge and much experience.
However, in my experience, monitor lizards, crows, vultures, mongooses, wild boar, ratels (honey badgers) have shown absolutely no hesitation in feeding on a dead tiger, but I do not know what golden jackals and striped hyenas would do in such a situation.
However, Colonel Kesri Singh ji, has mentioned an incident in his book Hints on Tiger Shooting, published in 1965, that brings much clarity to the issue. He writes that he accompanied the celebrated American polo player, Stephen ‘Laddie’ Sanford, when hunting a man-eating tiger near Ramsagar. This episode dates back to an era when polo players were celebrated and interestingly even then, the city of Jaipur used to be a Mecca for polo just as it is today. Thus, Sanford was not just a polo player, but also very close to the Jaipur Durbar.
Lady Edwina Mountbatten (Countess Mountbatten of Burma) (1900-1960) pictured with Polo player Mr Stephen “Laddie” Sanford (1899-1977). Date: 1927
In order to hunt the man-eating tiger, Kesri Singh ji had a buffo bait tied to a tree to lure the tiger and also tied a human effigy made of cloth to it, in the hope that as a man-eater, it would find the bait particularly enticing. A ‘regular’ tiger would in all likelihood not approach a bait arranged in this manner. While we cannot comment on the accuracy of this account, according to Kesri Singh ji, the tiger first attacked the cloth effigy and then killed the buffalo. Sanford easily shot the tiger with one bullet from a machan. By the time the tiger had been shot, night had fallen and both men were compelled to spend the night on the machan.
During the night, Kesri Singh ji woke up at 2 am to find a golden jackal feeding on one of the tiger’s legs. Thinking that driving the jackal away be in vain, for it would only return, he promptly shot it dead. At dawn, they discovered that not only had the tiger’s leg been fed on, but the jackal had also fed on it’s back, causing significant damage to it’s skin. Naturally, Kesri Singh ji was crestfallen to see his friend’s trophy damaged irreparably.
At least they believed that a golden jackal could feed on a dead tiger without fear. Thus, the notion that wild animals will continue to fear the dreaded tiger even after it has died is nothing more than a popular myth.
Authors:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
अक्सर लोग मानते हैं कि, बाघ के मरने के बाद उसके मृत शरीर को खाने कोई भी प्राणी नहीं आता क्योंकि मरने के बाद भी उस से डरते हैं।
दो अल्पवयस्क बाघों के गांव वालों द्वारा जहर देकर मारे जाने पर, वन विभाग के आला अफसर ने कहा की इनके शरीर पर घाव के निशान किसी मृतभक्षी प्राणी के नहीं बल्कि किसी नर बाघ द्वारा काटने से हुए है। यदपि इन दोनों बाघों के शरीर लगभग 24 घंटे बाद मिले थे। उन दोनों के शरीर पर कुछ घाव के निशान थे जो किसी जानवर के खाने से हो सकते हैं। यह मरने के बाद भी हो सकते हैं और मरने से पहले के भी। उनका यह कहना था कि, मृत बाघ को कोई मृतभक्षी प्राणी छूता ही नहीं है, क्योंकि बाघ के मरने के बाद भी उसे देख मृतभक्षी डरते है। जंगल में कई मृतभक्षी प्राणी होते हैं परन्तु मुख्य्तता है – सियार, लड़बघ्घा आदि। यह अदुभुत ज्ञान लगता है और ऐसे प्रतीत होता है कि, कोई गहरी और सूक्ष्म जानकारी रखने वाला ही यह जानता है।
परन्तु मेरे अनुभव के अनुसार मॉनिटर लिज़र्ड , कोयें, गिद्ध, नेवला, जंगली सूअर, रैटल आदि भी मृत बाघ को खाने में कोई भय नहीं दिखाएंगे परन्तु मेरा सियार और लकड़बग्घा के बारे में ज्ञान शून्य है।
परन्तु केसरी सिंह जी ने अपनी पुस्तक – ‘हिंट्स ऑन टाइगर शूटिंग’ १९६५ में एक वाकया लिखा है जो पूरी तस्वीर पूरी तरह साफ कर देता है। उनके अनुसार रामसागर- जयपुर के पास एक नर भक्षी बाघ को मारने के समय एक अमेरिकन पोलो के खिलाडी स्टेफेन ‘लाड्डी’ सानफोर्ड उनके साथ थे। यह उस ज़माने के जाने माने पोलो के खिलाडी हुआ करते थे और जयपुर शहर आज की तरह उस समय भी पोलो का मुख्य केंद्र हुआ करता था। सानफोर्ड एक पोलो प्लेयर होने के साथ साथ जयपुर दरबार के नजदीक भी हुआ करते थे।
लेडी एडविना मौन्टबेटन अमेरिकन पोलो के खिलाडी स्टेफेन लाड्डी सानफोर्ड के साथ
खैर नर भक्षी को मारने के लिए केसरी सिंह जी ने भेंसे के पड्डे को एक पेड़ पर बंधवाया ताकि वह बाघ को उस और आकर्षित कर सके, साथ ही उन्होंने इसके साथ एक मानव नुमा लगने वाले कपडे के पुतले को भी बांधा ताकि यह तय किया जा सके की वह एक नर भक्षी है या सामान्य बाघ। यदि सामान्य बाघ हुआ तो वह भैंस के पड्डे को मारने नहीं आएगा। यह कितना प्रामाणिक है कह नहीं सकते, परन्तु केसरी सिंह जी लिखते है कि, अर्धरात्रि में बाघ वहां आया और उसने सबसे पहले पुतले पर हमला किया और उसके बाद भैंस के पड्डे को मार गिराया। सानफोर्ड ने बड़ी आसानी से बाघ को एक ही गोली से अपना शिकार बना लिया था।
बाघ के सफल शिकार के बाद उन्होंने तय किया की अब रात भर मचान पर ही बिताना पड़ेगा अतः आरामदायक मचान पर वह दोनों सो गये। रात्रि लगभग दो बजे केसरी सिंह जी की आंख खुली और उन्होंने देखा की एक सियार बाघ की एक टांग को खा रहा था, उन्होंने सोचा इसे भगा देने मात्र से काम नहीं होगा क्योंकि यह पुनः आएगा तो उन्होंने उसे भी एक गोली से मार गिराया। सुबह जब उजाला हुआ तो उन्होंने देखा की सियार ने बाघ के पीछे से एक बड़े हिस्से की चमड़ी को खा कर बर्बाद कर दिया है। केसरी सिंह जी अपने मित्र की ट्रॉफी को इस तरह ख़राब होते देख बारे मायुश हुए।
खैर उन्होंने माना की सियार मृत बाघ से डरे बिना उसे खा सकता है, यह पूर्ण तय गलत होगा की खूंखार बाघ के मृत होने पर प्राणी उस से भयभीत होंगे।
लेखक:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
We can decipher some truly ingenious ways of saving tigers from the archaic world of antiquated hunting methods. One such method is brought to light in the writings of Col. Kesri Singh ji, the famous hunter from Rajasthan.
Col. Kesri Singh was an expert in his craft, and spent years managing the Shikarkhanas of the erstwhile princely states of Jaipur and Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh). The context of that era was very different, hunting tigers and leopards was recognized both by law and societal norms of those states. Therefore, to view such historical episodes with a jaundiced eye would not be correct. Kesri Singh ji has written many books in which he has elaborated on the nuances of tiger hunting in great detail through his own personal experiences. Many of these nuances are still relevant, and can be effectively repurposed to serve the cause of tiger conservation.
His book Hints on Tiger Shooting, published in 1965, includes an account from Band Baretha (Bharatpur district, Rajasthan), where he described how his friend was able to momentarily stop a tiger in its tracks just long enough to be able to shoot it with relative ease.
Maharaja Kishan Singh ji
Kesri Singh ji writes that he and Maharaja Kishan Singh ji of Bharatpur were school friends. Both attended Mayo College in Ajmer. Kishan Singh ji was known to invent ‘new methods’ for given tasks very often. Kesri Singh ji also adds that he had not personally witnessed the tiger hunting method employed by his friend in Band Baretha, perhaps he would not have been so inclined to consider it reliable. Kishan Singh ji is also remembered as a social reformer of his time, and is the grandfather of Sh. Vishvendra Singh, a well known politician in Rajasthan and great-grandfather of young Sh. Anirudh Singh, also a politician. Baretha currently has the status of a wildlife sanctuary and is known as Band Baretha Wildlife Sanctuary. However, Baretha was recently in the news because the Rajasthan Government separated a large part of the sanctuary in order to be able to mine stones for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Bandh Bareth Wildlife Sanctuary (Photo: Dr. Satya Prakash Mehra)
One of the most popular methods of tiger hunting in those days was beating. A beat entailed beaters following a tiger in a ‘U’ shaped formation all the while making an ungodly racket, thus funneling the frightened tiger towards a predetermined spot where the hunter, already waiting on a machan, could easily shoot it . While the machan itself was usually concealed, the spot the tiger was driven to before the machan was open ground devoid of any cover or concealment. However, at times the tiger would often arrive so fast that if the hunter was not prepared to shoot it at that precise moment, the entire arduous process had to be repeated again.
Bandh Bareth Wildlife Sanctuary (Photo: Dr. Satya Prakash Mehra)
Kesri Singh ji writes that as soon as the tiger arrived on open ground before the machan in Bandh Bareta, the tiger paused and was trying to get something off its paws ! This gave the hunter in the machan just the right amount of time to hunt the tiger with a well aimed shot.
Flies stuck to flypaper
Upon enquiry, Kishan Singh ji explained how he had flypaper placed i.e. paper with adhesive material on one side used to catch flies and insects, on the path the tiger was to take, so that when the tiger trod on the adhesive paper, pieces of the paper got stuck to it’s paws and when the tiger momentarily paused to rid its paws of these pieces, it became an easy target for the hunter.
Today, such a method could be used in special circumstances, such as trapping a straying or man-eating tiger, not for the bullet, but the tranquilisation dart. Here too, shooting at precisely the right moment is of paramount importance and the added fact that the sedative acts relatively slowly. Thus, to be able to momentarily stop a tiger in its tracks without causing it any harm can only be advantageous in capture operations requiring tranquilisation.
Authors:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
