Who are the real encroachers of the land, humans or animals??

Whenever elephant or leopard intrude into human habitats we make a big news out of it, with the headline 'wild animal encroached human habitat' but who has actually encroached the land, the animals or we human beings?

If animals had their newspapers, what would have been the headline?  Elephant who visited the encroached land of his ancestors was terribly injured by human beings. The elephant was there just to quench its hunger, it had no intentions to attack any human being.

We are talking about and looking at the encroachment in the current time and space. Due to the population explosion, human beings wanted to have more geographical area to dwell, for cultivation and other purposes, and as a result the geographical territory of another species got crunched.

Humans being the most intelligent species, overpowered other species and took control of everything. They made a law for themselves and others and see everything within the ambit of the same law and consider animals entering into human habitats as encroachment. Humans who actually initiated the encroachment process by destroying forests and vegetation, are now talking about encroachment.

Animals 'intrude' into human habitats just for their food and water, that too in the peak of summer when there is severe shortage of food. Whereas, humans always intrude into animals' home, forest, for their trekking, leisure, hunting and exploiting forest wealth, thus, disturbing animals' habitat and peace of mind. Despite all, animals seldom attack them. Whereas, whenever animals intrude into humans habitations, they are brutally attacked and sometimes get killed, while the 'fortunate' ones are handed over to the forest department ,who put them in zoo or release them back into the wild.

Mother nature is for everyone and maintaining its biological diversity is crucial in balancing the natural equilibrium. But due to human greed and carelessness, animals face challenges that threaten their survival every day. It should not be forgotten that the Earth belongs to animals too as much as it belongs to human beings.

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