Long Island, April 23: Would you believe if someone said Andamans possess Mules? Perhaps the answer would be NO for many, including the local islanders. But it’s a fact that Andaman has them and they are in a sorry state.

It was in the year 2006 a company named ‘Blue Planet’ imported a pair of Mules from mainland India, hoping to serve as load carriers in the remote Long Island in Middle Andaman group. The short sighted decision by Blue Planet seemed to work for some time but later proved unsuccessful and a burden to the company. The pair Jack & Jill was finally left to the mercy of the islanders.

Over the years, the orphaned Jack & Jill produced children but were not able to survive long due to the torture by insensible settlers. Some targeted them with air guns, some preferred to beat them up, some considered them as messengers of God and few on the island made them a tourist attraction. Today they are three in number with the latest male born last week of Sam and Jerry.

As such Andaman ecology is facing immense crisis due to Spotted Deer left by the British with frequent debates and brainstorming sessions on how to manage them. At this juncture, would we want another such situation to emerge in the islands? More so, atleast the spotted deer is protected under Law but what about the poor mules?