MADIKERI, 26 FEB

KM Chinnappa, 84, who was synonymous with Nagarhole and wildlife protection, died at his residence in Kumatoor in Srimangala, Kodagu on Monday. He was affectionately known as the walking forest dictionary.

Born in 1941 in Kumtur village near Nagarhole to a soldier who fought in the First World War, Chinnappa spent his youth roaming the forests of his ancestral land, listening to birds, watching the cavalcade of animals in their habitat, absorbing the everyday miracles of the rich eco-system.

He joined the forest department as an officer in 1967 and was made the RFO of Nagarhole, which was in ruins at that time. Hunting had taken its toll. There were hardly any deer left, forget tigers and other big game. He saved the forest by stopping timber smuggling, cultivation of ganja inside plantations and poaching activities. Nagarhole revived, expanding from a 250 sq km part to 640 sq km.

He spearheaded campaign against timber logging inside protected areas. He trained more than 2,500 forest protection staff in anti-poaching operations and fire protection.

Chinnappa’s effort to protect Nagarhole through 1960s to 1960s led to increase in the prey density and the carnivore population. Chinnappa has also won Chief Minister’s gold medal in 1985.

In 1992, he was implicated in the killing of a poacher in and a riot erupted. A frenzied mob ransacked the Forest Department’s buildings, burnt vehicles, assaulted staff, set fire to large swathes of forest land and set ablaze Chinnappa’s ancestral home. He was cleared of all charges, but he opted for a voluntary retirement after the incident.

After his early retirement, Chinnappa educated school children, teachers, rural youth and villagers on conservation. He used their help to save the forest.

He also served as the president of Wildlife First, an NGO advocating the cause of conservation since 1995. His motto was “Without humans, the forest will flourish. Without forests, we humans cannot flourish.”