RESCUING THE BABY MONKEY
Y esterday, when I went for walking at Yercaud foot-hills, at one place I heard a peculiar call. I always have a keen interest in listening to the calls of birds if they are especially new to me. So naturally, I diverted my attention to the direction from where the call came. But I wasn't able to see anything and so I went closer. Normally the calling bird will rise from the bush and fly away giving us a clear picture. But in this case, it didn't happen. Hence my curiosity was triggered more and when I went near, further, I observed a small baby monkey on top of a thorny bush clinging to the stem. So it was the 'caller'. The place was 10 feet high from my level and vertical above which the bushes have grown.
Now I had my own doubts and I came back to the opposite, sat there and watched closely. The baby monkey continued to give his desperate calls and it neither attracted his mother or other monkeys not the passer-by, but only a falcon and an eagle.Finally, I concluded that it was a stranded or abandoned one and now I had to act. I first drove the intruding falcon away and started planning the accessibility to that babe.I started climbing the mound but it was direct steep and the the mud slid down making me kiss the ground. The surrounding portion was full of thorny bushes which prevented me from making a round about reach.
The second time I made an attempt by climbing it holding the grass branches in my palms. I almost climbed it, when my foot slipped and breaking the grass I fell down again. Mud showered on my head and with small bruises I slid down.Failure, this time also. But I can't permit this set back. I ought to do something. It will be totally inhumane to leave that young one face a tragic end.I stealthily got on my feet and gripping the root of a small shrub I managed to make a final leap and reached the place. To my left, to my right and on all sides it was only thorny bushes. I stretched my hand to get hold of him but alas! it was short of 2 feet. I tried vaguely to persuade him to jump and hold me. He was too young to jump and it would be painful to climb down the bush whose base portion was more thick and pricky.
All along this operation, I noticed a sharp hope in his eyes. Whenever any bike, bus or passer-by came that way, the babe immediately made desperate calls to divert their attention. I heard a bike's sound and felt that the rider was parking it nearby. I called for him from my hideous place and finally he came to me. I asked him to fetch me a sturdy stick and throw it to me. Suddenly I observed a small plant with thick stem near my left foot and I broke it and placed the other end of the stem on the thorny bush just below the baby's feet holding it firm.First it hesitated a little and then slowly easing its grip from the thorny bush it caught hold of the stick and approached my arm. It climbed up my arm and with one fast movement it clinged to my shirt tightly. I jumped down along with the "treasure" got a lift in a bike, came to the foothills where my bide was parked.
Here, I should mention a small fact .Among monkeys, the mother never lets her baby to be away from her and the baby always clings to his/ her mother, till attaining certain age. If in case this bonding breaks, the child is either abandoned or stranded and no other adult monkey. Ultimately, it will killed by falcon or eagle and had to fatally die. That's why I had to carry it down without leaving it with its folk.
On the base of the foothill , to the Forest department I intended to leave the babe . But I found a kind villager who assured me that he will take care of the monkey carefully and let it into the forest once it is grown fit to live in forests. With the thought that I had left the monkey in safe hands, I returned with a satisfied heart.
I thanked God for he had given me an opportunity to save a young life and I strongly feel that it's not me who saved the babe, but the "belief" and "hope" it had in his eyes.
K.Rathinavel.
Letter dtd. Aug 7th 1988. narrating to me his experience in rescuing a baby monkey while he was on his morning walk in Yercaud foothills.
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