The animals we have now are midgets compared to animals in the past. There used to be giant versions of nearly every animal – from tigers to beavers, mammoths to bears, deer to sloths. They have all gone.
The megafauna have not become extinct due to natural causes. They were systematically hunted to death by man.
I was listening to a radio programme last week in which a palaeontologist was commenting that there was little fossil evidence for the arrival of man into the area. The first indications were the complete disappearance of all the megafauna.
We’ve already been responsible for the mass extinction of many of the world’s most incredible beasts. We are now busily working our way through what is left.
Unless governments act in unison and enforce the laws we will completely destroy the whole environment.
Is that the sort of world we want to live in?
No, it is not !
Let’s hope there’s enough of us to do something about it.
I get the distinct impression that it is a growing number – eventually the scales will have to tip 🙂
I hope you are right Raili. Something has to happen before everything is destroyed. You don’t know what you’ve got til its gone – to quote Joni Mitchell.
The world needs some startling success stories to kickstart mass support for greening activity – the tigers, perhaps?
The tigers are a great story – so far. Wait until the poachers figure out there’s more of them. Tiger penis is the cure for impotence. That’s just what we need isn’t it? – More people.
But I am eternally optimistic. My hope is that people have become more civilised and educated. They might just value the planet more. We can hope can’t we?
Impotence is in the head, isn’t it? When will people realise that cures can’t necessarily be bought over – or under – the counter? Seems to me it’s a race between education and the free market. I share your optimism, Opher. I also prefer hope to despair. But there are a hell of a lot of wazzocks out there …
There are also a lot of great people doing good things. The trouble is they are presently swimming against the tide of this capitalist nightmare of profit before everything. We have to stop them chewing up the planet. Perhaps we will?