Coal miners, a time not so long ago, used to keep a canary in the coal mine because a canary can sense the increase in Carbon Monoxide in a mineshaft and it sings the song of warning. The canary is singing the warning song for the “pale blue dot” and the species that inhabit it, human being one of them. Global warming is acting quickly and we are not responding quickly enough.
I remember in my childhood, fireflies used to be abundant especially, during Monsoon. Their flickering lights were like stars roaming amongst us. Grandmothers’ tales on nights like this triggered children’s imaginations, the fairy tales somehow sounded real; one reason was the fireflies. I haven’t seen them in decades now. Not even in the villages. The ironic paradox is that their vanishing is linked to the electrification and presence of night time light in cities and even in the villages. The flicker is a mating signal, now with more light everywhere, they miss the signal and cannot reproduce; development is killing them.
The other thing I recall, with relish, is the lotus root, when it was cooked with minced meat. It was delicious. It was nutritious. The palate doesn’t even remember the taste anymore. I looked it up on the net and only one eatery in the city sells dishes made of lotus root. They can also be bought in a Chinese Market in the city, but that is a Genetically Modified (GMO) variety. I have not seen them sold in vegetable shops anywhere in the city.
Fireflies and lotus roots have one thing in common; wetlands. Ramsar, a city in Mazandaran, Iran, witnessed the signing of Ramsar Convention in 1971, which was ratified in 1975. Pakistan is a signatory and has an international obligation for protecting its wetlands eco-system. Pakistan’s famous wetlands are Indus Delta and Haleji Lake both in Sindh Province. Tanda Dam in KP and Uchali lake complex in Punjab. Deosai Plains in GB have Sheosar Lake. Interestingly Sheosar translates in to “blind lake”, because its water doesn’t drain out. These are ecosystems and sanctuaries. These wetland ecosystems are under grievous threat, from us; the human species. The wetlands are being dredged for agriculture, the overuse of pesticides in agriculture, overuse and irresponsible use of electric light, untreated sewage, industrial wastage and last but not the least criminally irresponsible tourism. These all-human interventions are not only killing the habitats of fireflies and lotus roots but are also contributing to global warming. Many species like fireflies will vanish forever, only living in memories of the generation born in the last century.
So, Adieu fireflies and lotus roots. We are not listening to the canary.