In
recent weeks, I’ve been thinking of our relationship to our natural world, and
in particular, how we have lost so much knowledge about how nature “works.” This,
combined with what seems to be some sort of modern fastidiousness about what is
“ugly” in nature, and misplaced fear (born of ignorance) about animals and
natural phenomena, underlies much destructive behavior. The results of this
disconnect are really distressing. Our common knowledge about the natural world
has evaporated.
“Ugly”
trees are too often removed or their “undesirable” parts lopped off. Often
these are dead or dying trees, perhaps “ugly” to human eyes, but essential
sources of food and shelter for many animal species. Just up the hill, I had
been watching a Pileated Woodpecker that had made an impressive trench in an
oak tree. I went up the next day to get some photos and discovered that the
tree had been cut down; I suppose that “officials” saw the woodpecker’s
diggings and thought the tree might be frail. But the condition of the stump
indicates that the tree was in vigorous health. What a waste. And what of the
woodpeckers? Not only that pair of Pileateds, but the other species I saw on
that tree. Not important. Let them find some other tree, if they can. Across
town a few weeks ago, I was stunned to see, in one section of public land, that
every dead tree in a half-mile stretch of
forest, on both sides of the road, had been cut down. Hundreds of trees,
homes for woodpeckers, owls, raccoons, bats, and more. What terrible ignorance
made this possible?
We
have a thriving population of black bears in our region, and we see them come
through our yard pretty often, sometimes every day. We consider it a privilege
to be able to observe these interesting and beautiful animals. It is so very
distressing to read about how human ignorance, fueled by media reports, has led
to a general fear of these shy animals. HELLO EVERYONE! Bears do not eat
people, or babies, or dogs, or cats. They just don’t. They are omnivores, but omnivores
of small things. Seeds, berries, small animals (rabbits, squirrels), roots,
grass, wild fruits, the occasional fish. They
are not interested in you or your dog. Like almost every other animal, bears are not aggressive or “mean”
unless they are cornered, or startled, or if their young are interfered with.
Bears come up on my deck pretty often on their way through the area, and all it
takes is a rattle of the door, or a few sharp words, and off they go, sometimes
running. I have never felt afraid of a bear, even when I have been about six
feet away standing in the doorway. A bear is often easier to chase away than a
squirrel. So please don’t shoot
the bears, as this ignorant
person did.
(The bear family described in that story was well known in the neighborhood – I
have many photos that I had never posted here, as the
end of the story was too sad.)
A
more recent outrageous
story is this: Several days ago in Danielson, CT, some kayakers chose to
approach a Mute Swan on its nest, at a place where these swans had nested for
10 years or more. What kind of person willfully approaches a large animal with
young? A person who is ignorant of, and disconnected from, nature, of course,
would do this. Such a person is likely to be attacked by the male swan,
especially if he approaches a second time, and especially if canoers also join
in and get too close to the swans. Apparently these ignorant people, who were
breaking the law by interfering with wildlife, were all upset when the swan,
naturally feeling that it, and its nest, were threatened, defending its nest
and tipped them into the water. Boo hoo! (I wish I had been there to cheer for
the swan!) Apparently the stupid people complained to the police or DEEP about
the “aggressive” swans, and DEEP officials responded – ready for it? – not by
issuing warnings or citations and fines to the people who broke the law, not
even by educating the ignorant people about the natural behavior of wild
animals, but by killing
the male swan and addling the eggs. The residents of the neighborhood,
who have enjoyed the swans for years and know that they were not, in fact, “aggressive,”
are understandably
shaken and upset.
Oh,
and swans mate for life.
Have you ever seen an
animal whose mate has been killed? I have – I will never forget several years
ago seeing, by the side of a busy road, a female Mourning Dove standing by the
body of her mate who had just been struck by a car. When I passed the spot
later that day, she was still standing there by his body.
Back
to the swans. This is common knowledge, isn’t it? That it is dangerous to
interfere with a wild animal, especially if it has young or eggs? Do people
think that because swans are elegant and beautiful that they are also docile?
(Need I mention that the perpetrators were young men?) Apparently this is not
common knowledge, which perfectly illustrates the points I made in my opening
paragraph.
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