Wake up to the sound of nature! For many of us this is a luxury we experience only during a holiday. But for Anil and Pamela Malhotra, this is a daily occurrence. Their haven is tucked away in Brahmagiri, Kodagu district, a mountain range in the Western Ghats.
In 1991, they started the Save Animals Initiative (SAI) Sanctuary with 55 acres of sparsely forested land. Today, it is the only private wildlife sanctuary that protects and cares for animals.
Anil and Pamela, have a passion. They want to protect the rainforests and expand the green to maintain ecological balance.
“We bought 55 acres in Kodagu. It was 25 per cent of forest and there was a stream. We planted more trees and made maximum use of the water source. As more trees were planted, birds began to flock there and then animals followed. Over the years, we bought more land and today, we have 300 acres,” says Pamela.
SAI initiative has clear goals. No chopping trees, no human interference and no poachers. Free flowing water bodies, over 305 species of birds, huge trees and a thick forest have only helped the sanctuary grow,” says Pamela.
Magic mantra
The couple follow a strict policy. They do not interfere with the animals. And it’s because of this that elephants, which were a rarity in the region began walking through.
“Elephants are important for the regeneration of forests. Do you know that they swallow the entire seed without breaking it, unlike other species? And that’s why, we now have more species of trees,” says Pamela.
Cameras have been installed across the sanctuary to identify animals that come into the sanctuary and ensure that poachers are kept out.
“Animals and forests need each other and these cameras help us keep tabs on all that is happening there. In fact, the forest now has wild dogs which keep a check on the wild boars that are a menace to the fields. So a balance is always maintained,” she says.
Cardamom, coffee and other native trees flourish here. The flora of this sanctuary includes hundreds of varieties of indigenous trees, many of which have medicinal value. And thanks to the expanding green cover the sanctuary has seen an increase in the animal and bird species.
If you wish to stay at the sanctuary you can make a booking on their website. During a tour of the place you might get to see elephants, tigers and leopards, deer, wild dogs, jackals, foxes, civet cats to river otters, the giant Malabar squirrel, bisons, turtles, fish, snakes and over 300 species of birds!
For more info: http://www.saisanctuary.com/
