African Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Systems: Religion, Philosophy and the Environment

© 2022 Ikechukwu Anthony KANU. All rights reserved.

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Published by AuthorHouse 06/20/2022

ISBN: 978-1-6655-9958-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-9959-7 (e)

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CONTENTS

Dedication

Introduction

1Sacred Animals And Igbo-African Ecological Knowledge System

Ikechukwu Anthony KANU, OSA, PhD

2Igbo Tale-Song And The Eco-System: Anthropolinguistic Inquiry

Nwagbo, Osita Gerald

3Igbo-African Market Days And The Conservation Of The Eco-System

Ikechukwu Anthony KANU, OSA, PhD

4Ikenga In African Belief System And Eco-Spirituality

Jude I. Onebunne, PhD

5Sacred Trees/Plants: The Greening Of Igbo-African Religion

Ikechukwu Anthony KANU, OSA, PhD

6Sacred Objects And Igbo Ecospirituality

Nwanchor Otubo Edwin, PhD

7African Myths And The Environment: A Look At Some Myths And Totems Among The Tiv Of Central Nigeria

Terngu S. Nomishan

8Totemism In Igbo-African Society And The Preservation Of The Ecosystem

Ejikemeuwa J. O. NDUBISI, PhD

9Earth Goddess (Ala) As The Paragon Of Equity In The Land Of The Living And The Dead

Anyanwu Princewill Uzochukwu

10African Traditional Medicine And Orthodox Medicine: Trends, Challenges And Finding A Synthesis

Osawu Tunde

11African Ecosystem And Taboos

Jude I. Onebunne, PhD

12Ali Deity Among The Evo People: Towards An Indigenous Ecological Knowledge System

Tasie Onyedikachi Henry, PhD

13Agbo Olode: The History And Phenominology Of A Religious Festival And Fertility Deity Of Ogidi – Ijumu In Kogi State

OJO, Paul Olarewaju, PhD

14Tiv Traditional Medicine And Need For The Preservation Of The Eco-System

Dorothy Nguemo Afaor

15Herbbal Potency, Ecological Threats And Changes In Medico-Spiritual Healing Of Patients In The Kom Chiefdom Of Cameroon

Nixon Kahjum Takor & Nkwain Clovis Ankiandalibesa

16Man, Spiritual Forces And Environmental Sustainability In Igala Religion

Israel Yunisa Akoh, Ph.D

17Education And The African Environment: A Critical Analysis

Adamu James NANBAK

18The Concept Of Afroecosolidarity And Its Implications For The African Environment

Mark Omorovie Ikeke, PhD

19Igbo Beliefs In Taboos And Oaths Taking: An Environmental Perspective

Emmanuel C. Anizoba, PhD

20Rethinking Traditional Edification And The Interconnectedness Of The African Environment

Vincent Stephen KABUK, PhD

About the Author

Dedication

Celebrating Professor Ikechukwu Anthony KANU, OSA

@40

…now the text ends, and the commentary and fascination begins

INTRODUCTION

Indigenous Knowledge Systems

and the Environment

The naturalist and materialistic worldviews, which are basically atheistic, secular and humanist, have been at the base of the mentality that drives the wheel of the degradation of the environment both in Africa and beyond. The naturalists hold a philosophical perspective that unspiritualizes the world and understands everything that exists or events in the world as a response to particular laws of nature that have been designed to govern the structure and behavior of the natural universe. Taking from their name: naturalists, the proponents of this perspective are of the view that there is nothing spiritual about the universe or about the human person. Thus, the universe is all that there is; there is no soul and there are no supernatural powers. Naturalists in the history of thought include: Charles Darwin, Steve Irwin, David Attenborough, Rousseau, Pestalozzi, and Montessori, among others.

Alongside the naturalists are the materialists who hold that all phenomena can be explained in terms of natural causes and laws, thus denying the supernatural or metaphysical laws. They believe that the only thing that exists is matter and that all that there is reducible to matter. One thing that the materialists have in common with the naturalists is the denial of the creative power of a Supernatural Being. It is logical that they hold this position because the affirmation of the existence of God as creator will water down or question the substance of their position and imply the existence of a spiritual reality other than matter. While there are some who admit the existence of God, they, however, hold that He is not the creator of the world and that nature evolved to its present state over time. They naturalists also hold that there is an energy in the universe which is uncreated, unlimited and indestructible. Since there is no God for most materialists and naturalists, they fall back to science as the solution to all human problems.

The naturalists and materialists disbelieve the existence of God or the creative act of God is the basis for their assertion that there is no divine imperative on a particular order for the use of the universe and its resources. Therefore, the usage of the universe and its component parts are to be carried out at the whims and caprices of the human person. And since energy is unlimited, and can never be exhausted, they hold that the resources of the earth recycles itself, and therefore, the human person will not run out of the resources for his or her use. This perspective is at the base of the mismanagement, exploitation, abuse and misuse of the environment and her resources.

The emergence of the naturalist and materialist perspectives and its taking the center stage in the historical development of thought in the 19th and 20th centuries led to the massive exploitation of the environment in an industrial scale which saw the extraction and processing of raw materials in the mining of the resources of the earth, steam power, machinery and wood work. This exploitation and degradation was reinforced with massive consumption of energy which was sustained by the extraction of fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas. The consequences of this mismanagement of nature or the environment include the degradation of forests in terrestrial ecosystem and the pollution of aquatic ecosystem.

While the mismanagement of the earth’s resources were driven by the consumerist and hedonist philosophy of the modern world, the whole world now faces the consequences of these exploitative activities which hoped to assure a better life and brighter future for humanity. It is becoming more obvious that the human person can no longer achieve his or her full potential when the environment is degraded and unsafe and must ensure the preservation of the environment that hosts him or her (Agbo 2010; Gaudalli 2017; Nnamani 2013). To achieve this, there is the need for a re-evaluation of human activity or relationship with nature, knowing fully well that whatever he or she does in relation to nature will have consequences for the present and future occupants of the earth.

Contrary to the naturalist and materialist perspectives, Francis (2020) strongly holds that the only way towards the sustenance of the human environment is through a healthy and integral human social fraternity and relationship, not just between human persons but also between human persons and the environment, which he refers to as ‘our common home’. He teaches that: to care for the world in which we live means to care for ourselves. Yet we need to think of ourselves more and more as a single family dwelling in a common home (no. 17). He, therefore, points to the importance of thinking of our humanity in relation to other existent realities that also affect our own existence. He adds that: such care does not interest those economic powers that demand quick profits. Often the voices raised in defense of the environment are silenced or ridiculed, using apparently reasonable arguments that are merely a screen for special interests (no. 17). He strongly believes that the continuous exploitation of the environment will lead to even more serious crisis in the future: In this shallow, short-sighted culture that we have created, bereft of a shared vision, it is foreseeable that, once certain resources have been depleted, the scene will be set for new wars, albeit under the guise of noble claims (no. 17).

Given the several human efforts to grapple with the challenges of ecological crisis in the last twenty years and more by environmental experts and International Organizations or Conferences on Environmental Protection as a way forward or in view of solving the frightening global ecological crisis, shows that there is need for alternative perspectives or approaches to the issue bordering on the environment. These proposals include: the United Nations Millennium Project’s Task Force on Environmental Sustainability that recommended investment in cost-effective and sustainable energy technologies, elimination of distorting subsidies favoring fossil fuels at the expense of renewable alternatives, the development of climate-friendly markets, etc., (Melnick et al., 2005, p.28). There was also a recommendation from the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in which member states expressed their commitment to protect the planet from degradation and take urgent action on climate change (Tarusariran. 2017, p.398). These measures, in spite of the availability of the will to achieve them have not been able to solve the problem at hand.

As a result of the inability of these recommendations and proposals to solve the problem of ecological crisis, scholars have argued that these measures have only been able to address the symptoms rather than the main issues, implying that there might be need to go deeper than some of the present measures can go (Sponsel 2014; Crockett 2014 & Bonfiglio 2012). This lack of depth is attributed to the modern man’s defective worldview, which denies the transcendence, and secularizes and instrumentalizes nature. This has engendered in the modern man the attitude of ill-exploitation and degradation of nature, leading to the present ecological crisis. It is in this regard that Speth (Cited by Crockett 2014) avers that the fundamental problem borders on human selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation (n. pg.). In the contention of Francis (2015), "The ecological crisis is essentially a spiritual problem," (no. 9) requiring from the human person a spiritual and moral response (no. 206). This spiritual problem for Sponsel (2014) recognizes the spiritual facet to all issues related to conservation, environmentalism, and earth stewardship (p.1718). Virginia (cited in Bonfiglio 2012) concludes that eco-spirituality is about helping people experience ‘the holy’ in the natural world and to recognize their relationship as human beings to all creation.

The search for alternative perspectives and approaches to the problem of ecological crisis is what has led to the emergence of the views in this book of readings titled: African Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Systems: Religion, Philosophy and the Environment. It is a collection of papers by distinguished African authors who have endeavored to explore the possibility of employing African indigenous knowledge systems in search for ‘the holy’ in the natural world or for the spiritual and moral response that the present ecological crisis requires. This work is very significant at this time as Africa as a continent is today beginning to be united by the consciousness that our individual destinies are caught up with the health of natural systems at the national, regional and continental levels. This Book of Readings does not only focus on scholarly and indigenous perspectives regarding the issue of ecology in Africa but also attempts at providing answers to fundamental questions that have been looming at the horizon of thought for years, if not centuries. The beauty of these responses is that they take into cognizance the particular contexts or categories of the African people.

Interestingly, the perspectives in this book reveal how in African anthroposophy, earth-based spiritual traditions and innovative spiritual practices are already emerging in response to the painful realities of climate change, mass extinction, biodiversity loss, and the disruption of local and global ecosystems which have for long not received the attention that it duly deserves. This piece, therefore, will become one of the greatest ornaments and lights in the world of African eco-spirituality as it responds to questions that are long overdue.

REFERENCES

Francis, Pope (2015). Laudatio Si (Praise be to You). Papal Encyclical on Climate. https://www.ewtn.com

Nnamdi S. O. (2000). Afrika Der Zukunft Ist Scwarz. Africa: the Future is Bleak. In C. Umezinwa (ed.) Essay in Philosophy Nsukka. Afro – Obis Publications Ltd 2000, 23-35.

Francis, pope (2020). Fratelli tutti. Social encyclical on the fraternity and social friendship. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Agbo, J. N. (2010). Is globalisation a process or a product? In A. B. C. Chiegboka, T. C. Utoh-Ezeajugh, and G. I. Udechukwu (Eds.). The humanities and globalization in the third millennium (pp. 26-39). Nigeria: Rex Charles and Patrick.

Gaudelli, W. (2017). People, pope and planet: a hermeneutic and spectacle analysis of laudato si’ for global citizenship educators. Journal of International Social Studies, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 70-91.

Bonfiglio, Olga. (2012). Celebrating Earth Day Through Eco-Spirituality. The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 24, 2021.

Crockett, Daniel (2014). Connection Will Be the Next Big Human Trend. Huffington Post. https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Spiritual_ecology. Retrieved August, 6, 2021.

Melnick, D. Jeffrey McNeely, Yolanda Navaaro, Guido Schmidt-Traub, and Robin Sears. (2005). Environment and Human Wellbeing: A Practical Strategy: Achieving the Millennium Development Gaols. Earthscan, London.

Sponsel, Leslie E. (2014). Spiritual Ecology. In Leeming, David A. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. 2nd ed. Springer, Boston. pp. 1718–1723

Tarusarira, Joram. (2017). African Religion, Climate Change, and Knowledge Systems. Ecumenical Review. 69 (3): 398-410.

CHAPTER ONE

SACRED ANIMALS AND IGBO-AFRICAN ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

Ikechukwu Anthony KANU, OSA, PhD

Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

Tansian University, Umunya, Anambra State

[email protected]

ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1977-202X

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A cursory glance at the developments in ecological studies reveal that a wide range of environmental problems have emerged in Africa and beyond with huge physical manifestations. These problems include global warming, the depletion of stratospheric ozone, the acidification of surface waters, often referred to as acid rain, the destruction of tropical forests, the depletion and extinction of species, and the precipitous decline of biodiversity. While these manifestations are physical in the main, the solutions to them does not entirely depend on the physical. This is where religion comes in given that a good number of human persons are bound up with beliefs among other factors. While there are a few papers written on sacred animals in Igbo traditional societies, there is hardly literature that discusses its relationship with the eco-system or their ecological relevance. It is, therefore, from this background that this work discusses the place of sacred animals in Igbo-African religious context in the entire project of preserving the environment, especially in traditional African societies. Sacred animals occupy a fundamental place in African traditional religion. If they are not considered the symbol of the ancestors and deities, they are considered more suitable for the offering of sacrifice, etc. The scope of this study is the Igbo of Eastern Nigeria and Western Africa. The phenomenological approach was employed for the collection of data, while the hermeneutical and analytical methods of investigation will used for the evaluation of the data at hand. The Conservation of Resources Theory would be employed for the purpose of this study. This paper shows that the Igbo-African indigenous beliefs, taboos, sanctions and knowledge have contributed hugely to the checking of the abuse of the environment.

Keywords: Sacred, Animals, Igbo, African, Anthroposophy, Eco-system, Conservation

INTRODUCTION

Over the years, a wide range of environmental problems have emerged with huge physical manifestations. These problems include global warming, the depletion of stratospheric ozone, the acidification of surface waters, often referred to as acid rain, the destruction of tropical forests, the depletion and extinction of species, and the precipitous decline of biodiversity. While these manifestations are physical in the main, the solutions to them does not entirely depend on the physical realm. This is where religion comes in given that a good number of human persons are bound up with beliefs among other factors.

It is, therefore, from this background that this work discusses the place of sacred animals in Igbo-African religious context in the entire project of preserving the environment. Sacred animals occupy a fundamental place in African traditional religion. If they are not considered the symbol of the ancestors and deities, they are considered more suitable for the offering of sacrifice, etc.

For the purpose of this research, the Igbo-African world of the Eastern part of Nigeria and Western part of Africa will be studied, given than the entirety of the African will be an area to wide too be captured in a research of few pages such as this. However, because of the ideological relationships in Africa, an understanding of the Igbo would advance a better understanding of the African perspective. The phenomenological approach will be employed for the collection of data, while the hermeneutical and analytical methods of investigation will used for the evaluation of the data at hand.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The preservation of sacred animals in African traditional societies was based on the Conservation of Resources Theory (CRT) that was proposed by Stevan E. Hobfoll in 1989, which describes psychological stress as the motivation that moves human beings to preserve the resources that they have and also go for new ones (Hobfoll 1989). This stress emerges whenever there is a threat to loss of resources, and by resources, it is meant that which a person values (Halbesleben, Paustian-Underdal and Westman 2014). The theory was developed from the works of Walter Canon, Hans Selye, Elliot and Eisddorfer and McGrath who were among the first scholars to study stress as it applies to human beings (Canon 1932; Selye 1950; Elliot and Eisddorfer 1982; McGrath 1970). This theory stresses that it is more harmful for individuals to lose resources than to gain resources, and thus, people will invest resources so as to avoid the loss of resources.

In relation to sacred animals among the African people, the creation of taboos for the preservation of sacred animals and the effort towards ensuring that these taboos are kept is based on the African belief that the loss of natural resources (animal species) must be avoided as the loss of it is more stressful than the gain of it. The traditional African society knew the importance of these animals in the balancing of the eco-system and they also knew the consequences of losing these animals on the lives of individuals in the society. The preservation of these animals through taboos was to avoid the stress, in the form of ecological crisis, that would come as a result of the loss of these species.

THE NEED FOR AN AFRICAN RELIGIOUS INPUT ON ECOLOGICAL DISCOURSE

Several convergences make the African religious input indispensable in the fight against ecological crisis, especially as it relates to the place of sacred animals in the entire project of environmental sustainability:

a. Religious perspectives have been able to articulate an understanding of nature as the outcome of divine ordering which must not be manipulated and exploited for the purpose of maintaining a balance, harmony and equilibrium in nature. This is based on the interconnectedness and interdependence of the different dimensions of creation (Francis 2015 & Global Buddhist Climate Change Collective, 2015).

b. As a result of the connection of the greater number of human beings to religious beliefs, there has been an effort to respond to ecological questions within the context of stewardship and trusteeship. Thus, the human person is understood as being entrusted with nature to care for and account for (Halpert 2012; Islamic International Climate Change Symposium, 2015; Northcott, 2013 & Global Buddhist Climate Change Collective, 2015).

c. There is a better understanding of scientific positions on climate change even by those in religious circles. This has led to those adhering to religious beliefs to queue behind the policies that have been made from the outcome of these scientific findings. This is evident in the position of the Global Buddhist Climate Change Collective 2015 and Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis.

d. The connection between religious beliefs and the belief in unlimitless pursuit of prosperity has made religious perspectives on the issue of climate change very necessary. There is the need for a new model of wellbeing from the religious perspective (Northcott, 2013; Khalid, 2013; Izzi Dien, 2013).

In the face of the contributions of religions like Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and, religious bodies and alliances, it is very important that the position of African traditional religion be made manifest on the important issue of eco-system conservation.

SACRED ANIMALS IN IGBO TRADITIONAL SOCIETIES

Among world religions, animals belong to an important class of nature that feature prominently (Durkheim 1995). Gods were named after animals- like the goddess Epona in ancient Celtic religion whose name means Horse, whose icon includes a horse (Durkheim 2008). Among the Igbo, different communities and families hold different animals as sacred and they some affinity with the clan or to be the manifestation of some spirit (Kanu 2015a; Aniako 1978, 1984, 2002). There are times the sacred animals are treated as property of some deities. The python, eke, is not to be killed in many Igbo communities because it belongs to the deity Idemili (Achebe, 1982; Ifesieh, 1989).

Particular animals are considered sacred because the supernatural reveals himself in them. Boyle (1981) defines the sacred as the opposite of the profane. Mckenzie (1995) uses holiness and sacredness interchangeably. He further identifies the holy with the numinous, the mysterious quality of the divine, which is tremendous (fear) and at the same time fascinating (attracts). Hornby (1989) sees the sacred as something connected with religion, and for Haladus (1997), it is a relation between an objective and transcendent reality and a man. Among the Igbo of Nigeria, Okeke (2008) avers that the terms sacred and profane throw light on the attitude the people adopt towards the world and material things. Thus Robertson (1971) thinks that The sacred is to be treated with a certain specific attitude of respect (p. 55).

What makes animals sacred in African ontology is the spirit that is related to them. And because spirits dwell in them, these sacred animals possess great powers and are respected. Thus, Hemingway (1984) sees the sacred as power. Metuh (1981) opines that they are ferocious and ruthless and inspire great fear and extreme caution (p. 72). Some of these sacred animals in Igbo-African traditional societies include:

1. Eke (Python)

It is a sacred animal and is called Nne anyi (our mother) when it visits homes. It is a snake that does not look for trouble and so it is not killed in most parts of Igbo land. The people of Arondizuogu honor it. If a person steps on it, it will hiss and recoil itself. It respects citizens because the citizens revere it, however, if an outsider steps on it, it would attack the person. It is respected because it is believed to be the abode of spirits. It is a symbol of ancestral spirits. According to Adibe (2008), no one makes the mistake of killing it voluntarily or involuntarily. When it is done accidentally, it is buried as though it were a human being, with the appropriate religious rituals and rites accorded to it. If it is killed knowingly, it is considered an abomination. The eggs are also useful to the dibia for medicines. In some Igbo communities, the python is understood as a symbol of wisdom, object of ancestral adoration, earthly bliss and benefaction (Rim-Rukeh et al 2013; Eneji, et al 2009).

2. Ikwikwi (Owl)

The owl among the Igbo is a symbol of vigilance. When it moves or makes a sound it is believed that it is alerting a person about a movement or alerting that somebody is coming. This is based on the belief that the owl does not move or make a sound without a reason. There is also the belief that when the owl makes a sound that the ancestors are sending a message. This explains why when its cry is heard people go to ask questions as regards what the ancestors might be saying to a person or the community. As a consequence, the Owl is not killed by hunters or members of the community. To kill it will mean shutting oneself off the message of the gods (Kanu 2015b).

3. Udene (Vulture)

The African vulture is a monogamous bird that stay with their mates for many years, and feed their young for several months. They do not attack healthy animals like the eagle do, however, they may kill a wounded animal to feast on its flesh. They have very powerful eye sights as they can see a three-foot carcass from four miles away in the sky. It is a mystical religious symbol of the spirits; in fact, it is a ritual consumer of the spirits. When a sacrifice is offered and thrown into the open and a vulture does not come to pick it up or to eat it, it would be interpreted that something must have gone wrong in the world of the spirits. May be, that the sacrifice was not accepted by the spirits, since they consume the offering through the agency of the vulture (Kanu 2015a). From the foregoing, the presence of vultures signify the presence of the spirits and the ancestors. This explains why it is not killed or eaten by the Igbo.

4. Icho-Oku (Parrot)

The African parrot is a small bird with colourful wings that inhabits the warmer parts of the African world. They feed on insects and seeds and are mostly found in many African homes for various reasons. The Igbo-African believes that it is a bird that is capable of seeing all and saying all. According to Adibe (2008) The feather is regarded as the power of insight in the spirit world. The diviners use the feather in their caps and for other rituals. It is diviner’s mystical symbol of sight and proclamation (p. 214). Like the owl, it is also a symbol of surveillance and, therefore, not killed or eaten.

5. Ebuna (Ram)

Among the Igbo, Ebuna is a great symbol and stands for something great or big, especially in terms of ceremonies, festivals or rituals. It is used for offering sacrifices. It is a symbol of Amadioha and Amadioha’s choice animal for sacrifices. The symbol of Ebuna is so important that the name "The killer of Ebuna" is used to refer to a dibia (medicine man). During burials, Ebuna is also used to burry a strong man. On the day of the burial ceremony, the Ebuna is brought forward and the jaw is cut while it is still alive and lowered to the coffin where the diseased is laid so that the blood is allowed to drip into the eye of the dead man. The Ebuna is later slaughtered and eaten by those who consider themselves sincere and recognized by the society as courageous. The Ebuna is also used to activate an ofo (symbol of authority). Once an ofo has been designed by the community, it is still without power. However, one of rites that gives it power to sand for what it represents is the dripping of the blood of an Ebuna on it (Kanu 2013).

6. Mbekwu (Tortoise)

It is considered by the Igbo as a wise and cunning animal. It is, therefore, a religious mystical symbol of wisdom and discernment. It is capable of maneuvering all traps and obstacles. Its shell is used by diviners in mystical religious rituals, like during the activation of an ofo (Kanu 2015).

7. Okuko (Chicken)

There is a myth told about the chicken to little children. It is about a meeting that was fixed by the animals in their kingdom and when the day came, other animals discovered that the chicken was absent. When the chicken was asked why it was not attending, it said that there was no reason, however, that the animals can go ahead with the meeting in its absence and that whatever they decided would be accepted by it. The animals decided that all of them will be eating chicken. This explains why the chicken is a favorite meal for most animals. The kite eats chicken, cat eats chicken, snakes take chicken for meal, dogs eat chicken, fox eats chicken, etc. It is not only a choice animal for other animals, it is also a choice animal for particular sacrifices as in the case of Iru Agwu (dispelling of spirits that affect the success of a person).

THE ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SACRED ANIMALS

Sacred animals were protected through taboos used in traditional African societies for the preservation of nature and the promotion of biodiversity. Some of these taboos include not killing or hunting of the animals like python, fish, vulture, tortoise, parrot, not washing in some particular parts of water bodies or not using metal containers to fetch water, knowing fully well that the chemical in the soup or detergent and the metal could be destructive of the fishes in the water body. These taboos were the ecological guardians that played major roles in the conservation of animal species (Adu-Gyamfi 2011; Johannes 1978, 1982, 1984; Chapman 1985, 1987; Gadgil 1987).

Strongly connected to the preservation of sacred animals is the preservation of sacred forests and water bodies. These forests and water bodies were areas set aside by the Igbo ancestors as sacred sites and strictly protected by customary laws, beliefs and enforced taboos. They were regarded as abodes of the spirits and deities and places for worship, sacrifice, etc., (Kanu 2015). Due to the lack of human disturbance, as in the case of forests, monkeys and other animals often live in these forests, and because it was free of human activities, it provided a ground for biodiversity. In some of the groves in these forests, the sanctuary for wildlife is provided for which is absent in