Prominent Wildlife Activist Tragically Murdered in India

Prominent wildlife and anti-corruption activist, Shehla Masood, was murdered in cold blood today, just outside her home in Bhopal, India.

Shehla Masood was one of the strongest voices in the tiger conservation front. Her deep passion fueled her undying commitment to wildlife, the environment, and humanity. She was unafraid to speak the truth, unwilling to stand by and witness the injustices against those without a voice, and was intensely committed to making a difference in the world. Yet, today, it is with great sorrow that we report that this beautiful warrior has been tragically murdered in cold blood.

As a prominent conservationist in India, Miss Masood condemned the brutal and extensive poaching that has brought the world’s treasured tigers to the very brink of extinction. With an almost superhuman drive, she continually called attention to the rapid loss of these majestic creatures, demanding action to be taken on the many issues that have allowed this to happen. She rightfully and repeatedly presented the public with critical information regarding corrupt individuals involved in these heinous crimes. Fearlessly, she questioned the motives of government officials and park and reserve staff about suspicious activities surrounding the deaths of several tigers under their protection.

“There have been no forensic reports till yet. What is the reason? There were almost 18 vehicles being confiscated, but they have been let off. What for? Just because those vehicles were owned by big politicians, big bureaucrats’ sons, the power brokers of our country. These are the people who are running resorts in and around the tiger reserves,” Shehla pointed out last year in an ANI article about the death of a tigress in the Bandhavgarh Wildlife Sanctuary — one of several in that area during that time.

“They were given from 2004 to 2009, 2000 crore rupees, which is not a joke. And the report, which is yet not tabled, it says there are no Panna tigers since 2006. My dear friends, where is that money?” she boldly questioned.

Shehla cared, not only for the extraordinary tiger species as a whole, but also for every individual spirit that made up the global population. This is noted by her work alongside Cee4Life’s Sybelle Foxcroft in exposing the reprehensible acts being carried out at Thailand’s infamous Tiger Temple.

There is no doubt that, in her exhaustive, passionate, and integrity-driven work, she has made enemies with those of ill intent. Such malicious, exploitative wrong-doers conducting their dirty deeds in secrecy would not want their surreptitious acts to be known by the world. Shehla Masood fought against the corrupt, the greedy, and the insensitive with immense courage, risking her own life to save the lives of others. She valued the essence of life over money, materialism, and self pleasure — and this was clear in her everyday actions.

The illegal wildlife trade generates multi-billions of dollars each year and corruption is at the basis of its functioning. Does Shehla’s tragic death highlight the extremes to which nefarious individuals will go to protect their business ventures? Is she yet another voiced silenced by the brute force of power-hungry “humans”?

Many of us are left questioning how it is possible that such a genuine wildlife warrior could be taken from our world, whilst criminals and animal exploiters continue to abuse nature on a daily basis. How is it that someone who fought so hard for these lives, who spoke so loudly for those who could not speak themselves, must meet her fate at the peak of her career—at a time when she is most needed?

There are plenty of people in this world who claim themselves to be heroes of wildlife. People like the staff at the Tiger Temple, who mistreat, neglect, and carelessly and illegally trade these big cats, as if they are commodities—instead of actual living beings—existing solely for the sake of one’s personal gain. Individuals who claim to protect wildlife in their natural habitat, whilst secretly selling their body parts to the black market middle men. Or those who negligently promote the exotic pet trade with their websites and through breeding and selling these wild animals, even as this lucrative industry proves to be one of the biggest threats to numerous species around the world.

These people are not wildlife heroes. They are not wildlife warriors. They should not be congratulated, praised, or even mentioned in the conservation community.

A true hero, a true wildlife warrior, is someone like Shehla Masood. Someone who, not only talks the talk, but actually walks the walk. A person who completely comprehends the importance of nature and is willing to risk everything to preserve it. A person who does not take what he or she is told at face value, but, rather, questions the source and digs deeper to find the truth.

If there is anything we can learn from Shehla, let it be this lesson: things are not always as they appear. A self-proclaimed hero is not always the wholesome personality so many unsuspectingly believe them to be. What we are told — even by those who tend to naturally command our respect — should not always be taken as truth, until we at the individual level can prove it to be so. Miss Masood armed herself with knowledge. Knowledge that was acquired by putting forth the effort to identify facts and obtain even minute details. We should all strive to be like her in this way.

If there is anything we can take from Shehla Masood’s life, let it be her passion. It is the most passionate people on our planet that have made the biggest differences. It’s a quality so deep-seated that it can never truly be stolen. Passion, my friends, is the one weapon we have that the enemies of wildlife do not.

So let each of us pick up the fight where Shehla left off and intensify these efforts in her honor. Her death was not in vain. We must now be her voice, and the voice of all earth’s creatures, in bringing the destruction of the environment to an end. This, after all, is what Shehla would have wanted us to do — and what tigers and all of nature need us to do.

Our deepest condolences go out to Shehla’s family, friends, colleagues, and fans. Our hearts are with all of India during this time of mourning, as such an important member of their society — and of the global community — has been taken far too soon. We are hopeful that those responsible for her death will be brought to justice.

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Photo credit for images #1 and #6 are unknown. If you can provide GAFA Wildlife with the correct info, please leave a comment and let us know.

Image #2 by Shehla Masood
Image #3 via Cee4Life
Image #5 ©Bhatti Ijaz/Wildlife Cosmos