TWENTYFIVE YEARS IN SPREADING THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION MESSAGES
Monday, 28 September 2009
Dear friend,
It gives me immense pleasure to say that we have been successfully spreading the wildlife conservation messages through these wildlife message cards from the past twenty five years. I congratulate all of you who have taken this endeavour. At the same time, please accept my heartfelt thanks.
This time let me share some of my thoughts regarding the most publisised Swine ’flu (H1N1) that has gripped the world media. As you are aware, it is an infection caused by H1N1 virus. Viruses are the very first creatures that evolved on the Earth about 4 billion years ago. They have withstood and survived all the catastrophes that have occurred on this planet. This has been possible from the two notorious qualities that a virus possesses. Firstly, viruses cannot naturally produce the proteins needed for their duplication. They depend on plants or animals for their development. They attack, destroy and grow inside a particular cell of a living body where they find the essential ingredients for their growth.
Thus, from viral diseases like common cold, chicken pox or measles to poliomyelitis, herpes to AIDS each virus attacks and destroys a particular cell in our body.
Secondly, viruses have the capacity to mutate i.e., alter the protein structure in their nucleus or on their body surface. Thus, when a new virus attacks us with a subtle change of its body structure, our body defence system fails to recognise the virus!
Scientists say that with the human intervention, with our callous exploitation of nature, every day at least one species of plant or animal is getting extinct on the Earth. If an animal or plant gets extinct, where should the virus that depended on a particular cell of that lifeform should go? I feel that human beings are the most vulnerable targets for this these viruses. Because, we inhabit and populate on all corners of the globe; we travel rapidly from one place to the other spreading the virus and most of all, our body is not ready to accept a new virus. Thus, new viruses and new diseases are heard with increasing frequency and without doubt, it is our own making.
It appears that viruses have waged a war with human beings. And ironically, this is a war between the most primitive and the most evolved organisms that inhabit the Earth!
Let us join hands to make our only Earth, a place where all elements of life can live in health, happiness and harmony.
Thank you.
Dr. S V Narasimhan
VIRAJPET 571 218 India. 9480730884
The Wildlife Message Cards are individually hand-painted and sent free to individuals throughout the world to mark the Wildlife Week.
Total of hand-painted cards made: this year 1780; in 25 years 51,820.
Total recipients: this year 1025; in 25 years 7040.
Please send more stamps to reduce my burden on postage.
