Watching the National Geographic “Deadly Dozen” series. The African elephants used to roam most of Africa freely. Between poaching and simply being forced off their territory by the advance of people, they are now relegated to a fraction of that space, mostly protected or preserve areas.
I can’t help but shake my head in frustration and disgust. What we’ve done to this planet! Trophy hunting and poaching and misinformed “population trimming” aside, the single-mindedness with which we’ve advanced our own species at the cost of every other species of flora and fauna on the planet is just…sad. Destroying natural resources, destroying habitats, upsetting the ecological balance. Even on a small scale it’s revolting. I can’t go to my favorite local park without seeing litter everywhere. And I think angrily at the faceless perpetrators every time , why do you get to enjoy this park and then trash it so others can’t enjoy it???
Last night on the way to volleyball I saw a large black animal on the side of the road. I couldn’t look long, as I was driving, and at first I wasn’t sure whether it was a small cow or just one of the largest dogs I’ve ever seen. But it hurt my heart a little. I figured it was probably someone’s pet. Although I feel bad for most of the small furries I see on the side of the road, it usually hits me even harder if it’s a domestic animal. But my main feelings behind it are the same. No animal should ever have to die on the side of the road.
It’s just not natural. The road. Especially the fast moving cars. The animals certainly don’t regard the perils of our thoroughfare as they would a natural predator.
I’m not trying to be all tree-hugging and bleeding heart. It’s true that it would be impossible not to disturb or displace some wildlife when building a dwelling or home, even just for ourselves. It’s just the flagrant attitude of disregard for others, of our own species or any other, and the failure to recognize that eventually, their loss is our loss.
Related articles
- Majestic Elephant (schelleycassidy.wordpress.com)
- Elephants of Africa (teachingchildrensliterature.wordpress.com)
- Animal Ethicist and Author Questions the Morality of Endangered Species Charities (prweb.com)
alienredqueen 
We are the only species on Earth who destroy their own habitat. I’m pretty sure you’re a tree-hugger. 😉 I know what it means to be so incensed with all of this while knowing that only our personal impact is what we can change.
Yeah…I guess so, but “tree-hugging” for some reason has a bad connotation now. I’m not all like, “I mustn’t slap this mosquito that’s drinking my blood!” or anything like that! lol
That would be a legalistic tree-hugger. I’m not an extremist, just have a healthy respect for plants and animals. This destruction pains me.
Me too, man, me too.
You raise an interesting point, one that has disturbed me, too: our advancement as the human species has destructed our other species. Indeed, sad.
Thanks for reading, Shelley. Yeah, I know there are some cultures that are respectful of nature and other species…just not enough to make a global difference. 😦
There’s a lot of meat on those elephants my queen! We could feed a long time on them! If only there weren’t so much lions around to spoil the feast…
But imagine a Lion/Xenomorph!
Yeah! Xenolions! Let’s do it, let’s hug those lionfaces!
In Turkey because of the vast amount of street dogs roaming free it’s such a common heartbreaking occurence
It really makes me sad. 😦