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[dropcap]N[/dropcap]agaland Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker, Er. Levi Rengma, was fortunate to be presented with two civet endangered make and female cats and a barking deer (Indian Munjak) by some villagers from his Tseminyu A/C on two separate occasions recently. According to Naga tradition, presenting gift(s) to VVIPs/VIPs is deemed more precious by both the bearer and the recipient.It has become a way of life that not all gifts are devoid of motives. But some leaders have at least conveyed their feelings concerning wildlife if given as gifts. He did not consume them as might have been expected. Rather he, he decided to hand over the endangered cats to the Nagaland Zoological Park (NZP), Dimapur which he did on Monday (August 19). His decision to accept the gifts was based on the premise that the endangered species could be killed for consumption if he didn’t receive them. For this our honoured Deputy Speaker scores well deserved Brownie Points. A villager known to Levi Rengma personally had reared the endangered cats in Kasha village, Tseminyu A/C for some months before gifting them away. The barking deer was given to him by a woman of Longwesunu village. The Deputy Speaker is reportedly at peace now that the animals were handed over to the zoo officials. He has asserted that it should be a concerted effort on everyone’s part to preserve our wild life—whatever that are still surviving, that is. As of now the Nagaland Zoological Park has 138 species of 25 specimens, particularly 85 mammals, 41 birds and 12 reptiles. Our Naga villagers have been hunting and killing wild animals and birds at random even though there are rule and regulations for culling them at specific times of the year since inception of Nagaland statehood. God only knows how many species of the wild have become extinct since our ancestors have settled on our land. From this it follows that it is now high time that the State Government comes up with string measures for protection of our wild life. For this awareness among our people has to be created. Unfortunately, the villagers at times have been forced to protect their fields from being destroyed by wild animals and even birds Some villagers also indulge in hunting for income and for this a separate study is warranted What it all boils down to bolster our rural economy. In fact, about 70 per cent of our population is rural-based. It is not the powers that be but the concerned citizens who must also promote wild life preservation and hence forest conservation. Both aspects are very much inter-linked. It is to be hoped that this time, for a change, the zoo officials will ensure the preservation of the cats and the barking deer. It may also be here mentioned that some years ago, the zoo park at Kohima located in New Ministers’ Hill had a tiger but which died after some months. The reason? The meat issued for its daily consumption was allegedly consumed by the human caretakers. Won’t we ever learn? For, if you appreciate wild life then you can live a mild life!