Liking and awww-ing dog-cat videos, sharing informational messages about animals up for adoption or the save animals petitions on Facebook – it’s all one thing. Good, of course. But it’s a completely different thing to actually go out there and do something to save the beautiful wildlife nature has given us.
Dr Prakash Amte, son of social worker Baba Amte, along with his wife Mandakini, set up an animal rescue shelter in the courtyard of their house in Hemalkasa, Maharashtra. It is called The Amte Animal Ark and it currently houses about 90 wild animals.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaljkrIgliI/?tagged=amteanimalark
His effort was recognised as a rescue shelter in 1991 and the animals he houses include jackals, leopards, hyenas, porcupines, Indian python, crocodile, peacocks, sloth bears, etc. The shelter is a visitor attraction, especially amongst children.
People like him have a different level of kindness and purity in their hearts to be able to care for wildlife like this. He believes the animals, no matter how wild they are supposed to be, do not harm him.
He started sheltering orphaned animals after he came across the tribals who hunt the adult animals for food. He was shocked to find out that even the baby animals are used to provide food. He requested them to give him the baby monkey in exchnage for rice. That was the first deal they struck, which continues even today.
Not just animals, Prakash Amte’s sons are doctors and they run the Amte Hospital where they treat people for as little as ₹10 token fee. His daughters and his grandchildren are all social workers and they plan to continue the tradition their parents started.
In 2008, Prakash and Mandakini Amte were awarded the Ramon Magsaysay award for their social work, and Dr Prakash is also a Padma Shri awardee.
I’d heard of empathy and kindness, but the virtues that this family showcase is beyond comparison. Bravo to the Amte family for showing the world that real kindness is not restricted to humans only.