“Malawi: Nation to Celebrate Global Wildlife Day on 2 April” by Linda Likomwa discusses how Malawi will be celebrating elephants with an effort to protect them and putting an end to ivory trade. Many steps have been taken to limit this trade, but still many more to go. “Time is running out to save the elephants and in order to put a stop to the decline attitudes towards the wildlife there is a need to change rapidly,” says Kate Moore, Programmes Manager Lilongwe Wildlife Trust. She believes elephants will be extinct by 2025 if poaching is continued in the fashion it is currently. Even without poaching breeding lines of this subspecies of elephant are closed off, making their extinction very likely.
“Work with our border countries should also bear fruit in the near future and we must continue to galvanise the support of the global community if we are to stand a chance,” said Jonathan Vaughan, Director of Lilongwe Wildlife Trust. Even though great steps have been taken, “wildlife conservation is heading towards a crisis that requires teamwork, grit and determination. The fight has only just begun,” said by Brighton Kumchedwa, Director of Parks and Wildlife.
This fits in with todays reading on seeing like an animal, because these three people, along with their entire organizations, are banding together to see through the elephants eyes, to see how poaching has such a massive impact on their species, and are trying to do something to fix it. They believe by having a celebration day for the elephants they can convince others to view elephants in the same way as them, and that maybe they will be able to save this subspecies.
In Of Wolves and Men, from the selected readings of this week, we experience a glimpse into the past of the 1978 society issues. While a more current edition has expanded on the issues of wolves in ecology, the original work argues the issues of wolves’ relationship in the environment and American culture. As a wild creature we are inclined to view wolves as dangerous yet necessary entities in the ecosystem. The author uses a plethora of resources to elaborate on the rich and extensive relationship with wolves. He uses a multitude of literary, historical, scientific, and mythological works to support his description as well as a wide display of personal experience that the author has with the animals. And so using this extensive background of knowledge, the author argues the preservation of the animal not only for ecology purposes but for cultural reasons as wolves are prevalent throughout our culture. The disappearance of such a creature would undoubtedly be a serious detrimental effect on the environment as well as for our culture as a society.
Similarly in the article, Ten shocking animal diseases that may threaten species, we see a similar plight that the wolves experienced in the early stages of our country. However instead of diseases in this case the wolves suffered from us. None the less the article argues the similar statement that the above author stated, these animals play an important part not only in the environmental aspect but in the culture of the people in their respective societies. And so overall it is up to society, as they have the power to make a difference in the world, to preserve the animals that have given us the cultural foundation that we used for future generations to do the same.
Perhaps the most important feature the Barry draws on in Of Wolves and Men is the connection that Native Americans had with the wild animals in their society. In our modern society we no longer have that animal, because instead of viewing animals as a spiritual entity we view them as either a helper or a “hinderer”.
We can see this loss of connection in the way that we eat our food. According to the text, Indians used to envy wolves and their ability to focus on prey and build up their household. They believed that all animals had special powers, not even just the wolf. I believe that our society has gotten to a point at which we just view animals as food or domesticated pets.
In an article by the BBC that speaks of creating genetically modified foods in order to treat the massive global population it is said that “we need to produce more food with less land and water while not degrading the environment for future generations”. I, like the Indians, see the beauty in the natural animal life cycle, and the idea of genetically modified foods defeats this glorious cycle. The quote says that genetically modified food helps to stop environmental degradation, but at the same time it puts humans on a pedestal by giving us the ability to create life. This alone has broken the environmental cycle. We are no longer in touch with nature as the Indians once were, nor will we ever be.
The hinderers of the human race that once were are no longer. We no longer have respect for the wild and the natural creation of life, for it has lost its beauty with the modernization of science and technology. This is evident to me in the article I have chosen, and in chapter 5 in Of Wolves and Men. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150309-will-we-ever-eat-gm-meat
In John Grim’s “Knowing and Being Known by Animals”, the topic of human-animal interaction is brought to light. In Grim’s discourse he speaks on how indigenous populations has formed this bond with not only nature but their “neighbors” in the natural world, animals. He expands on how the relationship between humans and animals is in a sense quite spiritual, which is seen in the cultural practices of Native American populations. In these practices, Grim explains, indigenous people take on the role of animals to find their own sense of self; of which one may argue is the most natural way to understand and experience the transition into one’s own being.
With this being said, this thought directed me to “Animal testing in science a necessary Evil” by Jennifer Kirby. In this article, Kirby speaks on how in 2012 animals were determined to have emotions and formally determined to be conscious beings. She further goes into how this declaration placed a limit on the allowances given to researchers when conducting psychiatric and scientific experiments on animals. She states that although these experiments are conducted to further understand human “nature” in a way,there must be a humane approach to the treatment of animals. This article helps point to how far behind western-minded thinkers are from understanding the “natural” state of living. Indigenous populations have understood and respected the lives of animals for centuries but the modern man is slowly relearning how to treat the natural world as it once did.
Of Wolves and Men by Barry Lopez really opens the eyes to the majesty of wolves. From the start of the article the negative connotation surrounding the species is immediately called into question. Wolves are known as vicious killers that travel in packs and are not the type of animal you want to have a run in with. In truth though, they are so much more than the cold-blooded killers us humans have deemed they are.
This article explores a side of the species that many people overlook. The reasons why the Native American people idolize and respect wolves so much are explored and correspond well with the article I read from BBC Earth. Wolves are nurturing, intelligent, brave creatures that share a lot of characteristics with humans, contrary to popular belief. Humans and wolves clearly have fundamental differences, but we all look out for our own.
The article also tackles the wolf stereotype that Lopez brings up, explaining that the reason so many want to kill wolves stems from the “fear and hatred of the wolf has since become culturally ingrained, fueled by myths, fables and stories.” Humans need to think more about the actions of wolves. If you put yourself in the ‘paws’ of the wolf so to speak, it may be easier to understand why they kill as they do and seem less like a wild act and more like a need to survive that any human would do if put in a similar situation.
This weeks reading “Of Wolves and Men” by Barry Holstun Lopez, gave us a look at on the most feared animals. Even growing up in the city we would hear stories of wolfs and we would think of how dangerous they were and glad they were not in our city. They are known to be born killers, they kill so they can eat and the mental picture we get is of this vicious animal. Many biologist and environmentalist have studied the wolf and they hear many different stories from natives such as Eskimos and Indians of how wolves are. Our human imaginations take us to what we perceive wolves are and do we really know them. If you speak with an native Indian they may have many stories and also how the wolf has connected to them for centuries. In the article I read this week scientist exploring the few wolves which remain in Europe found that female wolves are able to take care of those cubs which are not their own. They nurture them, protected and even included them into their packs. This gave scientist hope they can integrate cubs into other packs to increase their population. Returning back to Lopez the connections animals have can also be like the ones humans have. A human mother nurtures, takes care of her children and protects them same as the female wolf. These seem to connect some behaviors humans and animals may have in common. We don’t think of these connections because we normally don’t think of the animal world being similar to ours.
The article that I chose is about Wolves fostering cubs unwillingly, but this is actually helping maintain the wolf population. I tied this into the readings that we did this week called “Of Wolves and Men” and how they can be some of the most dangerous species in the world. We as humans have grown up to think that these animals are vicious and only look at things that are smaller then them as prey. This article talks about how wolves have a bit of a softer side and that they take in cubs who they do not birth. They are similar to humans in the sense that they do in fact have hearts and can help others of their kind. Scientists gave female wolves cubs that were unrelated to them to see how they would react and they took them in and nourished them just like they were there own. I think this article also ties into the discussion that we had in class on Monday about how the monkey picked up human habits. The wolf has similar habits and are really in fact much like humans as well.
In this week’s reading, “Of Wolves and Men” by Barry Lopez, it discussed an animal that is often feared by many people due to their violent and wild nature. In the beginning of this article, he discusses how at one point the wolves were becoming a problem for a community as it killed local dogs and how locals wanted them to be hunted down in response (which most of the local population rejected). However, he then talks about the wolves in more detail, such as their behaviors, and in a way, sort of glorifies them a bit while explaining them to people who just think of them as wild or dangerous. While browsing the theguardian website, I found a different example of the glorification of another wild animal. In “12ft Florida alligator becomes a golf course celebrity, but he’s not alone” by Jessica Glenza, the article discusses another animal that is generally feared, the alligator, and more or less glorifies it. In the article, it discusses a particularly large alligator that has started to gain attention for resting on a golf course and eating turtles. Jessica describes more about alligators, stating how they are relatively peaceful and how natives are generally unconcerned by them. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/27/goliath-florida-alligator-golf-course
I had an interesting time trying to find a current event that would coincide with the reading, but eventually came across a dispute regarding someone’s idea of sending discarded water bottles to Africa as a way for them to have clean drinking water. It’s a very odd topic, and has already been hashed out over social media. One perspective says that Africans may not want discarded water, while the other says it could save a life. There are many misconceptions about Africa and its variety of cultures, and this is why I chose this article. Rahda’s writing had a focus on expanding perspectives, taking the time to really understand life at its most fundamental levels. I took this and started dropping down to the basis of the problem at hand, which is a lack of clean water, and questions started popping up. Like why are there enough discarded water-filled bottles to spark a debate over where to send them? Why do parts of Africa still not have access to clean water? Unfortunately, I don’t have answers to any of them and am only left to imagine myself in their shoes. In my mind, the people fighting for water should have an asana of their own. One in which represents strength, endurance, and wisdom because without them, surviving in such harshness would bear impossible.
In relation to this week’s extra credit assignment and reading on Yoga: The Hidden Language, Symbols, Secrets and Metaphors, I found an article that asks the big question of “How long will life survive on planet Earth?”. When doing yoga you do poses that relate to the Earth, for example, the tree pose, mountain pose, and eagle stance. Within this article we are given different scenarios that could possibly threaten our life on Earth. When the core freezes over, we have about 3 to 4 billion years left on Earth. With an expanding sun we will have about 1 to 7.5 billion years before the sun completely burns us. I found this article and this week’s assignment have a small relation to each other but a slight correlation.
Very recently there has been some never before seen aggressive behavior from a seal. The problem wasn’t that the seal was being aggressive, because they naturally can so that’s not abnormal at all. The interesting this is that the seal attacked and ate five sharks. According to the article in IFLS.com that published the story, this may be the first time it is being documented but it poses a challenge to the place the seals could have in the food web. Taking it from the seal’s perspective this may be just one isolated incident. I personally see a seal that let it’s group mentality and when confronted by a predator the response of fight is stronger than the flight. We as humans love to look at things and put labels on them but we never imagine that the animals themselves could have fluctuating personalities and maybe this seal was just more aggressive. The article immediately starts questioning if the seals could pose a threat for blue shark populations and although it is a logical concern, it is not logical to assume that the behavior of one animal will lead other members of its group. As said before, I think this is an isolated incident and no real conclusions should be made, from all we know it was just a seal defending its territory and finding nutrition in sharks.
Source: http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/seal-attacks-and-devours-guts-5-sharks-one-sitting
For today’s reading “Of Wolves and Men” written by Barry Lopez discusses the negative views and fears that people hold against wolves because of their violent nature. He explained how wolves had become a local problem to a town where the wolves were killing the local dogs. Some of the population wanted to be taken out and killed, but most of them didn’t share the same belief. His description of the wolves make them seem less violent and more of symbol. One article that I found actually focused on wolves and how truly they are important. The reintroduction of wolves into yellow stone demonstrated this. After their reintroduction we saw a larger increase of a diverse population of animals in the ecosystem as well as an increase of the biodiversity in the area. We were able to even see an increase in the health of the trees within the park. This has to do with the role that the wolves had in keeping the elk population in check, who in the time when the wolf wasn’t present in the park had their population increased to a very high percentage leading to a decrease in all the other biodiversity within the park. What I like about this is how it demonstrates despite how we might feel about an animal and how beneficial they truly are to us, we never truly know how negative their disappearance can be to our environment.
Radha’s writing on yoga and the animals that the poses are associated with provides explanation of why people practice the poses of certain animals in order to help them connect themselves spiritually with characteristics associated with said animals. Radha go into brief descriptions of animals such as the cobra and the eagle, and makes connections between the poses that embody these animals and the behaviors that the animals enact.
An article I found by Zahra Rakhshaee, professor at Islamic Razad University, also writes about these connections and how they can benefit health, treating dysmenorrhea to be specific. She herself explains that embodying these animals can help symptoms of some disorders. Both writers talk about the specific characteristics of animals like how the eagle represents boldness and victory, or how the cobra represents a paradox (i.e. life and death, wisdom and temptation, etc.). These poses serve more purpose than physical healing though. Both authors see these yoga poses as channels for enhancing one’s spirituality by essentially “becoming the animal”. It is believed that in doing this, one can attain advantageous characteristics associated with these animals, and in turn, also attain a better understanding of these animals’ lives.
The readings for this week regarding the yoga assignment mentioned a few yoga poses and focused their articles on them specifically. For example, cobra pose was analyzed. The article goes beyond the pose by mentioning snakes and the cobra itself living in various countries. The Hindu Gods are connected with the articles and the Baghavad Gita is mentioned. The article urges to yogi to feel the pose and not just work through it. Imagine all that the cobra symbolizes as you embrace the pose. Tree pose is also examined and the reader is encouraged to feel his or her roots spreading as the pose is taken. Embrace the endless possibilities of the poses. The article I chose questions whether or not yoga can fix climate change. The United Nations adopted a resolution that declared June 21st to be International Yoga Day. The Indian Prime Minister says that yoga is India’s gift to the world and suggests that the spiritual aspects might provide a solution to climate change. The articles relate because they both go beyond the surface of yoga. Most yogi amateurs take a yoga class for the physical benefits and workout, but the asanas are only one of the eight branches that comprise yoga. The articles describing the yoga poses urge the practitioners to feel each pose separately and think like the animal. Why are the poses named after animals? There’s more to it than just the pose. The BBC article suggests that the spiritual aspects to yoga might help the world.
In the article, “Knowing and Being Known by Animals”, byJohn Grim the author addresses the relationship between humans and animals. Grim explores the difference between the relationships that the majority of humans have with animals versus the relationship indigenous people have with them. According to Grim, as many others would agree, animals are often viewed as objects of utilitarian use. Humans often believe that they are superior to animals and that they can be utilized to their pleasure. Grim addresses the fact that humans typically perceive animals to be readily available for their use whether it be as a food source, pet, entertainment, or research. When the focus shifts away from the majority people and towards indigenous people, the scope they have on animals is completely different than what many would consider the norm. Indigenous people seem to have an intimate relationship with animals that is unique from the typical humans relationship. The religious and cultural practices that many of the indigenous people have aided in the molding of how they perceive, interact, and form their relationship with animals.
Grim argues that, even if the ingenious people rely on animals for food or other uses, there is still a better way to have a more intimate relationship with the animal than the type of relationship the majority of individuals have. In specific, Grim brings up the symbolism of the horse. Indigenous people have recognized the horse for its symbolic position as masculine, powerful, healing, and its ancient historical reputation. The indigenous view the horse with respect and assume their role in a more equivalent manor to as they do themselves. In other societies, horses are used for cosmetic manufacturing or as a source of entertainment. Typically in cases such as this, the human acts as if they are superior to the horse and often treats the horse in an abusive manor.
In the article, “Horses Understand Human Gestures”, the author Zoe Gaugh expands on horses understanding of humans. According to the article, horses have a keen sense of what humans are suggesting and can recognize gestures that humans make. Also, horses recognize and remember horses by their breath; once a horse smells the scent their brains eternally store this in their memory. This is the same case for humans; horses also have the ability to remember people by the unique scent of their breath. Studies have shown that when it comes to the horse forging a task they utilize their short-term memory, but breath recognition has been lodged into their long-term memory. The study has proven that horses can usually recognize what it means when a human is pointing or using certain signals. It has also been proven that horses have the ability to be trained, as exemplified in certain circus acts or equestrian riding. The ability to be trained is related to the horse’s abilities, studies have shown that the same cognitive reception that is used when a horse is being train is the same that is used when a horse is trying to find hidden food or places to hide. This behavior proves that the behavioral strategy of the horse demonstrates their ability to make a choice based on information they have learned or experienced. Horses have developed these abilities for their survival, but these abilities expose that horses can relate to human beings more than what was previously assumed. In relation to the reading, this article addresses that horses are aware of an individual’s intent because they have the ability to remember who they are and how they treated them. This is the same way that a horse can recognize what animals have harmed them and which ones are safe to associate with.
This week’s discussion on the “soap bubbles” and different perspectives of animals has encouraged me to try to look at major issues through a different lens. Although we distinguished how problematic the soap bubble interpretation can be due to inter-connections between organisms, I still think this metaphor is significant in that it shows humans how to begin to understand the environment through animals’ perspectives. I found a very interesting article this week called “Reverse zoonosis of influenza to swine: new perspectives on the human–animal interface”, which questions our predominant ideas on swine influenza. I find it interesting that we have deemed the swine influenza a disease of pigs, when in all actuality research has shown that humans contribute more to the transmission of it. It only makes sense that our immediate response was to displace blame onto other animals—but if we try to look at this through a swine’s perspective, perhaps we will begin to see that we share in an equal responsibility for the issue. This article offers a ‘bidirectional’ view of the ‘human-animal interface’. I believe this something we should try to adopt when creating our understanding of animals. When reading “A Report to the Academy”, I drew a similar message from Kafka. It is vital that we look at issues through other perspectives in order to gain a more balanced conclusion. In Kafka’s piece, the immediate response of the human was to assimilate the ape to human ways, but we find that the ape only chose the path of assimilation as a way out; a way to get one step closer to his freedom (Kafka, p.254). Furthermore, the ape asserts that “one learns when one has to; one learns when one needs a way out; one learns at all costs. One stands over oneself with a whip… My ape nature fled out of me” (Kafka, p.258). The rational choice reflected in this story is that animals will adapt to their surroundings for survival. It also reveals how making other animals in our world adapt to human-centric views is giving them no way out. We are stripping them of their freedom by positioning them in a system we have created without their consideration. I hope this new theme of study against human-centrism will continue to move to the forefront, so humans can begin to empathize and respect animals’ natural beings.
The article I read this week discusses the world’s wealthiest countries (especially America’s) commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emission in the short and long term. The United States has promised to reduce its fossil fuel dependency by about a fourth by 2025. This is a relatively bold commitment, especially because it’s time span is so small. The article discusses the likelihood of this number being met, and also the effect the promise will have on other countries around the world. The EU has committed to a 30% reduction, relative to its 1990 levels, by 2030. China, the globe’s most destructive emitter, has committed to making 20% of its energy consumption come from renewables and nuclear energy by 2030. Even if all of these numbers are met, according to some sources, the global goal to keep total temperature increase under 2C cannot be fulfilled.
While these numbers are hopeful and optimistic, I’m not sure they can be actualized. My ill- sentiment can be properly explained using the bubble theory we discussed in class. When the choice comes down to increasing profit and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, I believe many of the world’s countries will opt for the former. Some of their leaders, in my view, are only capable of respecting their own lives, or bubbles. They are incapable of respecting others’. I hope I’m wrong.
In this weeks reading, Of Wolves and Men, the author illustrates similarities between the hunting practices of the wolves and men. While initially it appears the predatory wolf is significantly different than man, by drawing parallels to these similarities, it shows that both human and wolves have an equal right to existence. In an article by Phil Torres, he witnesses strange behavior by a large group of Peruvian barklice. Phil noticed that the large group of insects appeared to move in arbitrary directions individually, however would start and stop as a cohesive unit. As multiple scientists observed his video of the obscure behavior, few could identify the purpose of the strange continuous starting and stopping. Perhaps an explanation for the behavior may be more easily attributed when compared to similar human behavior. I’m reminded of the movie Forest Gump, when the unit would randomly stop to listen for the enemy. By divinely orchestrating a collective unification of motion, the bugs may be attempting to identify potential enemies.
In the selected reading for this week, “Of Wolves and Men,” by Barry Lopez discusses how humans view wolves as violent but the author compares the nature of wolves to human beings. The author explains how wolves are viewed as dangerous but also tells the viewpoint of how they are a neccessity to the ecosystem. Lopez somewhat praises the wolves for their characteristics as a dangerous but wild animal and walks on the thin line of being important so the ecosystem at the same time. The article I found that somewhat related to this weeks reading was “Why zoos are good,” by Dave Hone. The author basically explains that he knows that some zoos are bad but that does not make them all bad. He believes that it is perfectly possible to keep certain animals in a zoo or wildlife park and for them to have a quality of life as high or higher than in the wild. I thought this tied into this weeks reading because by containing wild animals it protects them from being hunted and also causing havoc on local towns.
SD 3800 Voices in Sustainable Development 
“Malawi: Nation to Celebrate Global Wildlife Day on 2 April” by Linda Likomwa discusses how Malawi will be celebrating elephants with an effort to protect them and putting an end to ivory trade. Many steps have been taken to limit this trade, but still many more to go. “Time is running out to save the elephants and in order to put a stop to the decline attitudes towards the wildlife there is a need to change rapidly,” says Kate Moore, Programmes Manager Lilongwe Wildlife Trust. She believes elephants will be extinct by 2025 if poaching is continued in the fashion it is currently. Even without poaching breeding lines of this subspecies of elephant are closed off, making their extinction very likely.
“Work with our border countries should also bear fruit in the near future and we must continue to galvanise the support of the global community if we are to stand a chance,” said Jonathan Vaughan, Director of Lilongwe Wildlife Trust. Even though great steps have been taken, “wildlife conservation is heading towards a crisis that requires teamwork, grit and determination. The fight has only just begun,” said by Brighton Kumchedwa, Director of Parks and Wildlife.
This fits in with todays reading on seeing like an animal, because these three people, along with their entire organizations, are banding together to see through the elephants eyes, to see how poaching has such a massive impact on their species, and are trying to do something to fix it. They believe by having a celebration day for the elephants they can convince others to view elephants in the same way as them, and that maybe they will be able to save this subspecies.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503300230.html
In Of Wolves and Men, from the selected readings of this week, we experience a glimpse into the past of the 1978 society issues. While a more current edition has expanded on the issues of wolves in ecology, the original work argues the issues of wolves’ relationship in the environment and American culture. As a wild creature we are inclined to view wolves as dangerous yet necessary entities in the ecosystem. The author uses a plethora of resources to elaborate on the rich and extensive relationship with wolves. He uses a multitude of literary, historical, scientific, and mythological works to support his description as well as a wide display of personal experience that the author has with the animals. And so using this extensive background of knowledge, the author argues the preservation of the animal not only for ecology purposes but for cultural reasons as wolves are prevalent throughout our culture. The disappearance of such a creature would undoubtedly be a serious detrimental effect on the environment as well as for our culture as a society.
Similarly in the article, Ten shocking animal diseases that may threaten species, we see a similar plight that the wolves experienced in the early stages of our country. However instead of diseases in this case the wolves suffered from us. None the less the article argues the similar statement that the above author stated, these animals play an important part not only in the environmental aspect but in the culture of the people in their respective societies. And so overall it is up to society, as they have the power to make a difference in the world, to preserve the animals that have given us the cultural foundation that we used for future generations to do the same.
Source: http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150327-ten-scary-diseases-of-animals
Perhaps the most important feature the Barry draws on in Of Wolves and Men is the connection that Native Americans had with the wild animals in their society. In our modern society we no longer have that animal, because instead of viewing animals as a spiritual entity we view them as either a helper or a “hinderer”.
We can see this loss of connection in the way that we eat our food. According to the text, Indians used to envy wolves and their ability to focus on prey and build up their household. They believed that all animals had special powers, not even just the wolf. I believe that our society has gotten to a point at which we just view animals as food or domesticated pets.
In an article by the BBC that speaks of creating genetically modified foods in order to treat the massive global population it is said that “we need to produce more food with less land and water while not degrading the environment for future generations”. I, like the Indians, see the beauty in the natural animal life cycle, and the idea of genetically modified foods defeats this glorious cycle. The quote says that genetically modified food helps to stop environmental degradation, but at the same time it puts humans on a pedestal by giving us the ability to create life. This alone has broken the environmental cycle. We are no longer in touch with nature as the Indians once were, nor will we ever be.
The hinderers of the human race that once were are no longer. We no longer have respect for the wild and the natural creation of life, for it has lost its beauty with the modernization of science and technology. This is evident to me in the article I have chosen, and in chapter 5 in Of Wolves and Men.
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150309-will-we-ever-eat-gm-meat
In John Grim’s “Knowing and Being Known by Animals”, the topic of human-animal interaction is brought to light. In Grim’s discourse he speaks on how indigenous populations has formed this bond with not only nature but their “neighbors” in the natural world, animals. He expands on how the relationship between humans and animals is in a sense quite spiritual, which is seen in the cultural practices of Native American populations. In these practices, Grim explains, indigenous people take on the role of animals to find their own sense of self; of which one may argue is the most natural way to understand and experience the transition into one’s own being.
With this being said, this thought directed me to “Animal testing in science a necessary Evil” by Jennifer Kirby. In this article, Kirby speaks on how in 2012 animals were determined to have emotions and formally determined to be conscious beings. She further goes into how this declaration placed a limit on the allowances given to researchers when conducting psychiatric and scientific experiments on animals. She states that although these experiments are conducted to further understand human “nature” in a way,there must be a humane approach to the treatment of animals. This article helps point to how far behind western-minded thinkers are from understanding the “natural” state of living. Indigenous populations have understood and respected the lives of animals for centuries but the modern man is slowly relearning how to treat the natural world as it once did.
http://www.easternecho.com/article/2015/03/animal-testing
Of Wolves and Men by Barry Lopez really opens the eyes to the majesty of wolves. From the start of the article the negative connotation surrounding the species is immediately called into question. Wolves are known as vicious killers that travel in packs and are not the type of animal you want to have a run in with. In truth though, they are so much more than the cold-blooded killers us humans have deemed they are.
This article explores a side of the species that many people overlook. The reasons why the Native American people idolize and respect wolves so much are explored and correspond well with the article I read from BBC Earth. Wolves are nurturing, intelligent, brave creatures that share a lot of characteristics with humans, contrary to popular belief. Humans and wolves clearly have fundamental differences, but we all look out for our own.
The article also tackles the wolf stereotype that Lopez brings up, explaining that the reason so many want to kill wolves stems from the “fear and hatred of the wolf has since become culturally ingrained, fueled by myths, fables and stories.” Humans need to think more about the actions of wolves. If you put yourself in the ‘paws’ of the wolf so to speak, it may be easier to understand why they kill as they do and seem less like a wild act and more like a need to survive that any human would do if put in a similar situation.
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150325-wolves-make-great-foster-parents
This weeks reading “Of Wolves and Men” by Barry Holstun Lopez, gave us a look at on the most feared animals. Even growing up in the city we would hear stories of wolfs and we would think of how dangerous they were and glad they were not in our city. They are known to be born killers, they kill so they can eat and the mental picture we get is of this vicious animal. Many biologist and environmentalist have studied the wolf and they hear many different stories from natives such as Eskimos and Indians of how wolves are. Our human imaginations take us to what we perceive wolves are and do we really know them. If you speak with an native Indian they may have many stories and also how the wolf has connected to them for centuries. In the article I read this week scientist exploring the few wolves which remain in Europe found that female wolves are able to take care of those cubs which are not their own. They nurture them, protected and even included them into their packs. This gave scientist hope they can integrate cubs into other packs to increase their population. Returning back to Lopez the connections animals have can also be like the ones humans have. A human mother nurtures, takes care of her children and protects them same as the female wolf. These seem to connect some behaviors humans and animals may have in common. We don’t think of these connections because we normally don’t think of the animal world being similar to ours.
http://docs.newsbank.com.ezproxy.lib.usf.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:DST1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=15454FE90C499970&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB5811D21E575
http://docs.newsbank.com.ezproxy.lib.usf.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:DST1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=15454FE90C499970&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB5811D21E575
The article that I chose is about Wolves fostering cubs unwillingly, but this is actually helping maintain the wolf population. I tied this into the readings that we did this week called “Of Wolves and Men” and how they can be some of the most dangerous species in the world. We as humans have grown up to think that these animals are vicious and only look at things that are smaller then them as prey. This article talks about how wolves have a bit of a softer side and that they take in cubs who they do not birth. They are similar to humans in the sense that they do in fact have hearts and can help others of their kind. Scientists gave female wolves cubs that were unrelated to them to see how they would react and they took them in and nourished them just like they were there own. I think this article also ties into the discussion that we had in class on Monday about how the monkey picked up human habits. The wolf has similar habits and are really in fact much like humans as well.
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150325-wolves-make-great-foster-parents
In this week’s reading, “Of Wolves and Men” by Barry Lopez, it discussed an animal that is often feared by many people due to their violent and wild nature. In the beginning of this article, he discusses how at one point the wolves were becoming a problem for a community as it killed local dogs and how locals wanted them to be hunted down in response (which most of the local population rejected). However, he then talks about the wolves in more detail, such as their behaviors, and in a way, sort of glorifies them a bit while explaining them to people who just think of them as wild or dangerous. While browsing the theguardian website, I found a different example of the glorification of another wild animal. In “12ft Florida alligator becomes a golf course celebrity, but he’s not alone” by Jessica Glenza, the article discusses another animal that is generally feared, the alligator, and more or less glorifies it. In the article, it discusses a particularly large alligator that has started to gain attention for resting on a golf course and eating turtles. Jessica describes more about alligators, stating how they are relatively peaceful and how natives are generally unconcerned by them.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/27/goliath-florida-alligator-golf-course
I had an interesting time trying to find a current event that would coincide with the reading, but eventually came across a dispute regarding someone’s idea of sending discarded water bottles to Africa as a way for them to have clean drinking water. It’s a very odd topic, and has already been hashed out over social media. One perspective says that Africans may not want discarded water, while the other says it could save a life. There are many misconceptions about Africa and its variety of cultures, and this is why I chose this article. Rahda’s writing had a focus on expanding perspectives, taking the time to really understand life at its most fundamental levels. I took this and started dropping down to the basis of the problem at hand, which is a lack of clean water, and questions started popping up. Like why are there enough discarded water-filled bottles to spark a debate over where to send them? Why do parts of Africa still not have access to clean water? Unfortunately, I don’t have answers to any of them and am only left to imagine myself in their shoes. In my mind, the people fighting for water should have an asana of their own. One in which represents strength, endurance, and wisdom because without them, surviving in such harshness would bear impossible.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503261000.html
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150323-how-long-will-life-on-earth-last
In relation to this week’s extra credit assignment and reading on Yoga: The Hidden Language, Symbols, Secrets and Metaphors, I found an article that asks the big question of “How long will life survive on planet Earth?”. When doing yoga you do poses that relate to the Earth, for example, the tree pose, mountain pose, and eagle stance. Within this article we are given different scenarios that could possibly threaten our life on Earth. When the core freezes over, we have about 3 to 4 billion years left on Earth. With an expanding sun we will have about 1 to 7.5 billion years before the sun completely burns us. I found this article and this week’s assignment have a small relation to each other but a slight correlation.
Very recently there has been some never before seen aggressive behavior from a seal. The problem wasn’t that the seal was being aggressive, because they naturally can so that’s not abnormal at all. The interesting this is that the seal attacked and ate five sharks. According to the article in IFLS.com that published the story, this may be the first time it is being documented but it poses a challenge to the place the seals could have in the food web. Taking it from the seal’s perspective this may be just one isolated incident. I personally see a seal that let it’s group mentality and when confronted by a predator the response of fight is stronger than the flight. We as humans love to look at things and put labels on them but we never imagine that the animals themselves could have fluctuating personalities and maybe this seal was just more aggressive. The article immediately starts questioning if the seals could pose a threat for blue shark populations and although it is a logical concern, it is not logical to assume that the behavior of one animal will lead other members of its group. As said before, I think this is an isolated incident and no real conclusions should be made, from all we know it was just a seal defending its territory and finding nutrition in sharks.
Source: http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/seal-attacks-and-devours-guts-5-sharks-one-sitting
For today’s reading “Of Wolves and Men” written by Barry Lopez discusses the negative views and fears that people hold against wolves because of their violent nature. He explained how wolves had become a local problem to a town where the wolves were killing the local dogs. Some of the population wanted to be taken out and killed, but most of them didn’t share the same belief. His description of the wolves make them seem less violent and more of symbol. One article that I found actually focused on wolves and how truly they are important. The reintroduction of wolves into yellow stone demonstrated this. After their reintroduction we saw a larger increase of a diverse population of animals in the ecosystem as well as an increase of the biodiversity in the area. We were able to even see an increase in the health of the trees within the park. This has to do with the role that the wolves had in keeping the elk population in check, who in the time when the wolf wasn’t present in the park had their population increased to a very high percentage leading to a decrease in all the other biodiversity within the park. What I like about this is how it demonstrates despite how we might feel about an animal and how beneficial they truly are to us, we never truly know how negative their disappearance can be to our environment.
http://www.yellowstonepark.com/2011/06/wolf-reintroduction-changes-ecosystem/
Radha’s writing on yoga and the animals that the poses are associated with provides explanation of why people practice the poses of certain animals in order to help them connect themselves spiritually with characteristics associated with said animals. Radha go into brief descriptions of animals such as the cobra and the eagle, and makes connections between the poses that embody these animals and the behaviors that the animals enact.
An article I found by Zahra Rakhshaee, professor at Islamic Razad University, also writes about these connections and how they can benefit health, treating dysmenorrhea to be specific. She herself explains that embodying these animals can help symptoms of some disorders. Both writers talk about the specific characteristics of animals like how the eagle represents boldness and victory, or how the cobra represents a paradox (i.e. life and death, wisdom and temptation, etc.). These poses serve more purpose than physical healing though. Both authors see these yoga poses as channels for enhancing one’s spirituality by essentially “becoming the animal”. It is believed that in doing this, one can attain advantageous characteristics associated with these animals, and in turn, also attain a better understanding of these animals’ lives.
http://ac.els-cdn.com/S108331881100060X/1-s2.0-S108331881100060X-main.pdf?_tid=c8186c50-d88a-11e4-a8d5-00000aab0f27&acdnat=1427905310_25e53ef601399a2552e724640b1a8e21
The readings for this week regarding the yoga assignment mentioned a few yoga poses and focused their articles on them specifically. For example, cobra pose was analyzed. The article goes beyond the pose by mentioning snakes and the cobra itself living in various countries. The Hindu Gods are connected with the articles and the Baghavad Gita is mentioned. The article urges to yogi to feel the pose and not just work through it. Imagine all that the cobra symbolizes as you embrace the pose. Tree pose is also examined and the reader is encouraged to feel his or her roots spreading as the pose is taken. Embrace the endless possibilities of the poses. The article I chose questions whether or not yoga can fix climate change. The United Nations adopted a resolution that declared June 21st to be International Yoga Day. The Indian Prime Minister says that yoga is India’s gift to the world and suggests that the spiritual aspects might provide a solution to climate change. The articles relate because they both go beyond the surface of yoga. Most yogi amateurs take a yoga class for the physical benefits and workout, but the asanas are only one of the eight branches that comprise yoga. The articles describing the yoga poses urge the practitioners to feel each pose separately and think like the animal. Why are the poses named after animals? There’s more to it than just the pose. The BBC article suggests that the spiritual aspects to yoga might help the world.
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30438566
In the article, “Knowing and Being Known by Animals”, byJohn Grim the author addresses the relationship between humans and animals. Grim explores the difference between the relationships that the majority of humans have with animals versus the relationship indigenous people have with them. According to Grim, as many others would agree, animals are often viewed as objects of utilitarian use. Humans often believe that they are superior to animals and that they can be utilized to their pleasure. Grim addresses the fact that humans typically perceive animals to be readily available for their use whether it be as a food source, pet, entertainment, or research. When the focus shifts away from the majority people and towards indigenous people, the scope they have on animals is completely different than what many would consider the norm. Indigenous people seem to have an intimate relationship with animals that is unique from the typical humans relationship. The religious and cultural practices that many of the indigenous people have aided in the molding of how they perceive, interact, and form their relationship with animals.
Grim argues that, even if the ingenious people rely on animals for food or other uses, there is still a better way to have a more intimate relationship with the animal than the type of relationship the majority of individuals have. In specific, Grim brings up the symbolism of the horse. Indigenous people have recognized the horse for its symbolic position as masculine, powerful, healing, and its ancient historical reputation. The indigenous view the horse with respect and assume their role in a more equivalent manor to as they do themselves. In other societies, horses are used for cosmetic manufacturing or as a source of entertainment. Typically in cases such as this, the human acts as if they are superior to the horse and often treats the horse in an abusive manor.
In the article, “Horses Understand Human Gestures”, the author Zoe Gaugh expands on horses understanding of humans. According to the article, horses have a keen sense of what humans are suggesting and can recognize gestures that humans make. Also, horses recognize and remember horses by their breath; once a horse smells the scent their brains eternally store this in their memory. This is the same case for humans; horses also have the ability to remember people by the unique scent of their breath. Studies have shown that when it comes to the horse forging a task they utilize their short-term memory, but breath recognition has been lodged into their long-term memory. The study has proven that horses can usually recognize what it means when a human is pointing or using certain signals. It has also been proven that horses have the ability to be trained, as exemplified in certain circus acts or equestrian riding. The ability to be trained is related to the horse’s abilities, studies have shown that the same cognitive reception that is used when a horse is being train is the same that is used when a horse is trying to find hidden food or places to hide. This behavior proves that the behavioral strategy of the horse demonstrates their ability to make a choice based on information they have learned or experienced. Horses have developed these abilities for their survival, but these abilities expose that horses can relate to human beings more than what was previously assumed. In relation to the reading, this article addresses that horses are aware of an individual’s intent because they have the ability to remember who they are and how they treated them. This is the same way that a horse can recognize what animals have harmed them and which ones are safe to associate with.
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150306-horses-remember-more-than-we-think
This week’s discussion on the “soap bubbles” and different perspectives of animals has encouraged me to try to look at major issues through a different lens. Although we distinguished how problematic the soap bubble interpretation can be due to inter-connections between organisms, I still think this metaphor is significant in that it shows humans how to begin to understand the environment through animals’ perspectives. I found a very interesting article this week called “Reverse zoonosis of influenza to swine: new perspectives on the human–animal interface”, which questions our predominant ideas on swine influenza. I find it interesting that we have deemed the swine influenza a disease of pigs, when in all actuality research has shown that humans contribute more to the transmission of it. It only makes sense that our immediate response was to displace blame onto other animals—but if we try to look at this through a swine’s perspective, perhaps we will begin to see that we share in an equal responsibility for the issue. This article offers a ‘bidirectional’ view of the ‘human-animal interface’. I believe this something we should try to adopt when creating our understanding of animals. When reading “A Report to the Academy”, I drew a similar message from Kafka. It is vital that we look at issues through other perspectives in order to gain a more balanced conclusion. In Kafka’s piece, the immediate response of the human was to assimilate the ape to human ways, but we find that the ape only chose the path of assimilation as a way out; a way to get one step closer to his freedom (Kafka, p.254). Furthermore, the ape asserts that “one learns when one has to; one learns when one needs a way out; one learns at all costs. One stands over oneself with a whip… My ape nature fled out of me” (Kafka, p.258). The rational choice reflected in this story is that animals will adapt to their surroundings for survival. It also reveals how making other animals in our world adapt to human-centric views is giving them no way out. We are stripping them of their freedom by positioning them in a system we have created without their consideration. I hope this new theme of study against human-centrism will continue to move to the forefront, so humans can begin to empathize and respect animals’ natural beings.
http://www.cell.com/trends/microbiology/abstract/S0966-842X%2814%2900246-7
The article I read this week discusses the world’s wealthiest countries (especially America’s) commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emission in the short and long term. The United States has promised to reduce its fossil fuel dependency by about a fourth by 2025. This is a relatively bold commitment, especially because it’s time span is so small. The article discusses the likelihood of this number being met, and also the effect the promise will have on other countries around the world. The EU has committed to a 30% reduction, relative to its 1990 levels, by 2030. China, the globe’s most destructive emitter, has committed to making 20% of its energy consumption come from renewables and nuclear energy by 2030. Even if all of these numbers are met, according to some sources, the global goal to keep total temperature increase under 2C cannot be fulfilled.
While these numbers are hopeful and optimistic, I’m not sure they can be actualized. My ill- sentiment can be properly explained using the bubble theory we discussed in class. When the choice comes down to increasing profit and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, I believe many of the world’s countries will opt for the former. Some of their leaders, in my view, are only capable of respecting their own lives, or bubbles. They are incapable of respecting others’. I hope I’m wrong.
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32136006
In this weeks reading, Of Wolves and Men, the author illustrates similarities between the hunting practices of the wolves and men. While initially it appears the predatory wolf is significantly different than man, by drawing parallels to these similarities, it shows that both human and wolves have an equal right to existence. In an article by Phil Torres, he witnesses strange behavior by a large group of Peruvian barklice. Phil noticed that the large group of insects appeared to move in arbitrary directions individually, however would start and stop as a cohesive unit. As multiple scientists observed his video of the obscure behavior, few could identify the purpose of the strange continuous starting and stopping. Perhaps an explanation for the behavior may be more easily attributed when compared to similar human behavior. I’m reminded of the movie Forest Gump, when the unit would randomly stop to listen for the enemy. By divinely orchestrating a collective unification of motion, the bugs may be attempting to identify potential enemies.
In the selected reading for this week, “Of Wolves and Men,” by Barry Lopez discusses how humans view wolves as violent but the author compares the nature of wolves to human beings. The author explains how wolves are viewed as dangerous but also tells the viewpoint of how they are a neccessity to the ecosystem. Lopez somewhat praises the wolves for their characteristics as a dangerous but wild animal and walks on the thin line of being important so the ecosystem at the same time. The article I found that somewhat related to this weeks reading was “Why zoos are good,” by Dave Hone. The author basically explains that he knows that some zoos are bad but that does not make them all bad. He believes that it is perfectly possible to keep certain animals in a zoo or wildlife park and for them to have a quality of life as high or higher than in the wild. I thought this tied into this weeks reading because by containing wild animals it protects them from being hunted and also causing havoc on local towns.