Now, youngest Thackeray joins fight to save Aarey

While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his eldest son Aaditya have openly expressed their displeasure regarding the Metro Line III and the newly proposed development plan which threaten Aareyrsquos green cover the youngest Thackeray scion is silently doing his bit to save Aarey as wellSena chief Uddhav Thackeryrsquos younger son Tejas is quietly doing his bit to save Aarey from destruction by documenting rare species found there File picAll of 20 years old Uddhavrsquos younger son Tejas has been visiting Aareyrsquos woods for the last few days to photograph and generate awareness about the rare and obscure species there see box While Aarey is home to several leopards Tejas has chosen to focus on the lesser known residents of the forestMale purple sunbird Nectarinia asiaticaHe intends to post the pictures on Instagram and hopes to create awareness about the existence of such animals that have made their home in Aarey and why the cityrsquos green lung must be protected ldquoWhile travelling across forests in Maharashtra and central India I realised conservation isnrsquot just about saving the large animals but the ecosystem as a wholeDeccan ground gecko geckoella deccanensisThe small creatures we tend to neglect play a major role in the smooth functioning of the ecosystem Without them the balance would just collapse For the past couple of years I have clicked reptiles amphibians and fish exploring the biodiversity of various regionsrdquo said the 20yearoldGround gecko geckoella cf collegallensis PicsTejas ThackerayHe further added ldquoCitizens are aware of the leopardrsquos presence in Mumbai but not about these tiny jewels perfectly hidden in the leaf litter or high up in the canopy In the past couple of years many new species were described from the Aarey region and even today there are species there that are still a mysteryThrough photography I hope to show that even under constant pressure Aareyrsquos biodiversity is thrivingrdquo A passion for nature seems to run in his blood for his father Uddhav is wellknown as a wildlife enthusiast and photographerThe Sena chief had also conducted several medical camps for forest guards and villagers working in hostile conditions to ensure that the forestsrsquo protectors are protected as well Since the last few days Tejas has been visiting Aarey mostly during the night documenting the species he has spotted thereHe will continue to do so till the winter season to see how the forest changes with climatic conditions ldquoI have decided to carry a series of Aareyrsquos flora and fauna on my Instagram page for all those who want to know more about the place This is a rare occurrence having a thriving forest within a large metropolis like MumbaiAs a citizen I hope I can do my bit and protect our only remaining forest which is like a tiny island surrounded by our ever growing cityrdquo he said Tejas isnrsquot alone during his nightly photography sessions in Aarey ndash he is accompanied by several other naturalists who are also attempting to document the local biodiversityNeedless to say environmentalists fighting to save Aarey from destruction are glad to have Tejasrsquo support Stalin Dayanand from the NGO Vanashakti who is also associated with the Save Aarey movement said ldquoIf a Thackeray is involved then it will really help us in taking our message to the publicThe rich biodiversity of Aarey can be seen through his photographic documentation Aarey needs to be protected and should remain a no development zone as it acts as a buffer corridor to Sanjay Gandhi National Parkrdquo