A photo from a drone shows a border between  a national park and farmland, where human-animal conflicts arise.
Cover A photo from a drone shows a border between a national park and farmland, where human-animal conflicts arise. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
有「地球之肺」之稱的亞馬遜森林,上月燃起了熊熊大火,也牽動環境保護議題的諸多討論,如何在人類發展、自然環境,以及野生動物的衝突之中找到平衡,成為人類需要思考的重要課題。而遠在印度的保育專家Krithi Karanth,則透過提供熱線服務,來緩解印度野生動物與人類之間的衝突,她更是2019年勞力士雄才偉略大獎的五位得主之一。
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Photo 1 of 3 The Nugu and Moleyuru ranges, home to many wild animals, including elephants and tigers. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
Photo 2 of 3 Lakshamamma (kneeling) and Dasaiak pay respect at their cow’s grave after a tiger attack. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
Photo 3 of 3 Farmer Shiva Shankar is in regular contact with Wild Seve. ©Rolex Marc Shoul

「勞力士雄才偉略大獎」(Rolex Awards for Enterprise, RAE),於1976年時所創立,當年適逢首款防水腕錶——勞力士蠔式腕錶面世50週年,透過此獎項的成立,Rolex支持全球各領域的探險家們,一同尋求環境變遷的各種解決方案,Rolex更在2019年推出「保護地球,恒動不息」(Perpetual Planet)計劃,串連全球有志之士透過各項前瞻計畫,致力保護地球。

當年創立勞力士雄才偉略大獎的主席André J. Heiniger也表示:「我們設立勞力士雄才偉略大獎,全因我們堅信企業有責任積極改善地球生活,並宣揚我們所珍視的價值觀,包括精良品質、獨創性及堅毅決心,而最重要的就是創建精神。」

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Photo 1 of 4 Krithi Karanth founded Wild Seve, which helps half a million people live in harmony with animals. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
Photo 2 of 4 Krithi Karanth (centre) checks data regarding animal sightings with colleagues Anubha Vanamamalai (left) and Nauachandan Natarajamurthy. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
Photo 3 of 4 The Wild Seve smartphone app allows volunteers to quickly enter all the required information about a claim. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
Photo 4 of 4 Krithi Karanth, at Channagundi in Karnataka State, India, has been passionate about conservation since childhood. ©Rolex Marc Shoul

今年的得主之一——印度科學家暨保育專家Krithi Karanth,同樣也是保育專家的父親啟發了她對野生動物的熱愛,並進一步進行研究與保育計畫。她觀察到在印度的部分人類社區,因為野生動物未能適應人類的生活界線,因此雙方經常發生衝突,損失慘重。為了解決這樣的問題,Krithi Karanth在2015年設立免費電話熱線「Wild Seve」,提供因野生動物而遭受損失的村民尋求賠償協助,讓人類社區、野生動物與政府三方,能夠有一個正向溝通的管道與循環,她也積極將Wild Seve熱線服務擴展到更多地點,同時也協助處於衝突熱點的村民進行實地試驗,透過搭建防護棚與圍欄等設備,保護人類與家畜。除此之外,她也意識到改善衝突與環境保護的根本是教育,因此她也在嚴重衝突地區的300間學校內,開啟保育教育計劃「Wild Shaale」,讓動物保育的種子在孩童內心扎根。

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Photo 1 of 5 Krithi Karanth (centre) participates in a school workshop by Wild Seve, with children posing as wild animals. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
Photo 2 of 5 Banana farmer Prasanna Kumar (left) describes to Krithi Karanth how his crop was destroyed by an elephant. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
Photo 3 of 5 A photo from a drone shows a border between a national park and farmland, where human-animal conflicts arise. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
Photo 4 of 5 A total of 10,000 claims have been submitted to Wild Seve, many using the organization’s smartphone app. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
Photo 5 of 5 Dasaiak (left) calls Wild Seve regarding the family cow that was killed by a tiger on their farm. ©Rolex Marc Shoul
Tatler Asia
Laureates Rolex Awards for enterprise 2019. From left: Grégoire Courtine, Krithi Karanth, João Campos-Silva, Miranda Wang, Brian Gitta.
Above 2019勞力士雄才偉略大獎的五位得主。 (由左至右)Grégoire Courtine, Krithi Karanth, João Campos-Silva, Miranda Wang, Brian Gitta. ©Rolex Bart Michiels

勞力士雄才偉略大獎創立迄今已經有43年的歷史、共有140位得主、研發27種創新應用技術、完成13項探險活動、保護17個的生態系統、23種瀕臨危險的物種、種植1,800萬棵樹木,並保護57,600平方公里的亞馬遜雨林。

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©Rolex Marc Shoul, Bart Michiels

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