Novosti iz Indije, leptir fotograf je otet. Mjesni perivoj dužnosnik koji je bio u posjetu sjeveroistočnoj pokrajini Arunachal Pradesh je snimljen noću banda naoružanih Prenoćište pobunjenika. Napori da ga pronaći ometeni su na vrijeme i daljinskim terenu. Indija je nedavno postala jedna od zemalja u kojima je najteže provoditi istraživanja, a sada se svi podsjećamo na njegovu kontinuiranu povijest nasilja. Često se nalazi unutar zabačenih i divljih dijelova zemlje u razvoju u kojoj se nalaze i zadivljujuća biološka raznolikost i militantni disidenti. Dok je bila u Ekvadoru, moja je skupina pazila na kolumbijske FARC pobunjenike koji su možda zalutali preko granice; na sreću, postojala je samo minuta mogućnost da će uopće biti tamo, i ništa se nije vidjelo. Mislim da su neki od mojih najmučnijih terenskih radova bili duž američko-meksičkih pograničnih država i u samom Meksiku. Trkači drogom bi te radije upucali prije nego što zamole da im se makneš s puta, i lutajući banditi bili su odgovorni za ubojstvo kolege prijatelja u Oaxaci prije nekoliko godina. Nije iznenađujuće, mamac neiskorištene biološke raznolikosti nas stalno vuče. Budite sigurni na terenu!
Ja, isto, have had my most frightening experiences in southern Mexico, where Chuck Bellamy and I have gone several times in the past few years. We are routinely questioned by military police, which I guess doesn’t bother me too much (as long as I am able to successfully convince them that all we are doing is collecting bugs and that we don’t have any guns). Ipak, one time I was confronted by a woman wearing a bandanna over her face – I was about a half mile from the car and Chuck, and she was clearly agitated about something, but I couldn’t understand what she was saying because she was talking too fast. I started getting that sinking feeling that I’d stumbled onto something I shouldn’t see, so I played the dumb American and acted like I didn’t know what was going on, then quickly hoofed it back to the car. I really don’t know what would’ve happened, but my gut still tells me I was on the edge of something bad. We want to go back this fall, but the drug violence really has us thinking twice about it.
US border also has been tough – my truck was broken into along the Rio Grande – twice (5 miles from and 10 years after the first time). Osim toga, just a few instances where border agents thought I looked suspicious and questioned me pretty hard.
Ecuador, South Africa, Argentina? Ningunos problemas.
Mexico keeps calling. I recently was added onto a Mexican collecting permit and it’s such a double edged sword. Hopefully I’ll get down there soon…and make it back! I’ve had some great experiences down in Baja, but the mainland Sonora/Chihuahua/Sinaloa area is spectacularly diverse and spectacularly dangerous.