March 3, 2015 is World Wildlife Day. It’s a day for humans around the world to
raise awareness on how and why the Earth’s wildlife is disappearing. Some of you may have seen photos on social
media and shared with your friends. Some of you may have made podcasts hoping
that your message will be heard by others who care about our wildlife
friends. And some of you may have already
done what I am doing now; writing words in a blog hoping that their meanings
will reach the minds of those who care or better yet, those that never knew
they cared until now.
I am not expecting many views on this post. If I get a dozen that would be amazing. And if one of you manages to reach the end,
well that would be fantastic. The
following is not meant to preach, scold or blame. Instead I am hoping that on this very special
day someone will at least think for a single moment about what is truly going
on.
What is the point of having a World Wildlife Day you may be
asking? Well the most logical reason
would be awareness. By flooding the
internet with information about the plight of animals that are at serious risk
of extinction, organizations like the World Wildlife Fund and Humane Society
International may raise funds to help their causes. But another more subtle reason would be
educating people about a particular animal.
For example, how many of you have heard of the Pangolins? Did you know that this scaly looking anteater
is the most trafficked mammal on the planet with about 1 million individuals
poached over the last decade? Research
suggests that this harmless animal will become extinct before anyone really
notices.
Unfortunately, it is doubtful that this one day will help
the Pangolin or any other well-known endangered animal like the snow leopard or
tiger. But if this one day was heard as
a “call to arms” – marking the first day humans stopped thinking of themselves
as supreme - then maybe there is hope to stop extinction.
Think about this scenario for a moment. What if humans stopped being selfish and
worked together to reduce or even eliminate pollution? What if humans started respecting all forms
of life with a sense of equality? Instead
of hunting and torturing animals for fun, instead of destroying vast forests and
ecosystems, humans actually learned to live with that which has always been
there?! If that truly happened, wouldn't
that be the beginning of Utopia?
Scientists and governments have proven that when pollution is reduced
and sound management policies are enacted, good things happen - Bald Eagle,
California Condor, cleaner air quality, reduction in acid rain. By changing how humans live their daily lives
and treat the animals and environment living beside them, life will become
healthier. And World Wildlife Day 2015
can be the first day to that healthier day!!!
But what will happen if humans never take that first step
toward Utopia? Did you know, and this
has been outlined in many documentaries and computer models, that if human
beings ceased to exist right now, nothing bad will happen? Planet Earth will carry
on and be happier for it. Pollution will
end! Destruction will end! Poaching will end!
The Earth and all her inhabitants, minus humans, will thrive and
flourish.
Right now when an animal or plant species falls to
extinction because of humans, and sorry it is always because of humans, someone
out there will remember that species.
But when humans eventually fall to extinction due to their greed and
selfishness and God-like complex, will any species living on the planet
remember? If humans don’t start doing
what is right for Mother Earth, some day – not now but some day – all that will
be left of the human race is a fleck of dust that no life form will remember what
it ever belonged to.
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