THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Ajith Sanghumugham beamed with pride on being felicitated by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) for saving the lives of whale sharks that wash up along the Thiruvananthapuram coastline. The largest living fish species may have damaged the expensive gill nets (kambavala) of Ajith and his mates over the last several years by straying onto the seashore, but that has not deterred them to saving the beached animals.
WTI, an NGO that also works for the welfare of marine mammals, felicitated Ajith and five other fishermen from Thiruvananthapuram at a programme held at Shankhumukham beach on Sunday.
Ajith and his team were recently involved in a 13-hour rescue mission. “But more than the Rs 25,000 each of us received from WTI, it’s a passion for marine mammals that drives us,” says the 50-year-old. “I used to be a fisherman in West Asia. It’s been just six years since I moved to Thiruvananthapuram. I feel the difficulty in getting food in the deep sea is pushing white sharks to try their luck along the shore,” said Ajith.
Biju Stephen was one of those who were felicitated. “Over the last two months, we saved five whale sharks in Pallithura, Puthenthope and Beemapally areas of Thiruvananthapuram. During the Malayalam months of Vrishchikam, Dhanu and Makaram, fish numbers in the deep sea decline. Whale sharks then approach the shore where they prey on small fish such as sardine, small mackerel and anchovy. I never expected to be felicitated for saving the life of these gentle giants,” says Biju, with emotion writ large on his face. Biju has reason to sound impassioned. The fisherfolk, according to him, has never received any help from the government for damaged fishing nets or acknowledgement for saving the lives of the whale sharks.
Marine biologist Sajan John, who heads WTI’s marine conservation projects, said that thanks to vloggers, rescue missions of whale sharks are being widely reported these days. “Kerala is in a transition phase, with people being sensitised to whale sharks. Gujarat has the largest sightings of whale sharks. Over a period of 20 years, around 1,000
whale sharks have been rescued there. Here in Kerala, 17 whale sharks have been rescued over the last seven years. There’s still a long way to go,” Sajan told TNIE.