What did you think of the "Lion" video? Is it ok for humans to get close to large, wild animals? What other iconic species draw humans into conservation efforts? What do you think our provincial and federal government should do to improve conditions and promote species diversity (endangered or otherwise). Assuming you agree (and feel free not to), what can individuals (like you) do to promote conservation and sustainable animal habitats? What role to corporations (e.g. forestry, mining, oil & gas) play in this ongoing challenge? What other, smaller, "non-iconic" species deserve our attention? Leave a comment below with your thoughts on some or all of these questions.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Habitats and Lions
What did you think of the "Lion" video? Is it ok for humans to get close to large, wild animals? What other iconic species draw humans into conservation efforts? What do you think our provincial and federal government should do to improve conditions and promote species diversity (endangered or otherwise). Assuming you agree (and feel free not to), what can individuals (like you) do to promote conservation and sustainable animal habitats? What role to corporations (e.g. forestry, mining, oil & gas) play in this ongoing challenge? What other, smaller, "non-iconic" species deserve our attention? Leave a comment below with your thoughts on some or all of these questions.
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I think it's okay to get close to large, wild animals but really, only if you know what you're doing. If you're some unruly teenager trying to be cool in front of your friends by going up to this wild animal, you're an idiot and deserve what you get. There are many different things the government can do but you or me, we can't do much. We'd just be two people throwing up environmental signs and no one will pay us any attention. Cause they see it all the time. I do promote conservation of the habitats but again, I'm just one person. I can't do anything worthwhile. And obviously, big corporations damage these habitats, everyone knows it. The environment is in the the hands of others.
ReplyDeleteDyllan
i found the lion video very interesting (in a good way) as well as inspiring. and sure its OK for humans to get close to large wild animals but you must know the risks and such, as well as that you will not know for sure what will happen as they can be unpredictable. i found it humorous when the camera went to the two guys in the cage. ironic really. for once animals aren't in captivity and in cages, but it is the humans. and its by their own choice.
ReplyDeleteI think its okay to get close to wild animals, but also bad at the same time. I feel it is ok as long as we are not providing them with food and basic everyday needs. But not ok because they learn to trust all people, and the next person they go running to could be the one that ends their life. Hunting animals for trophies isn't right, and we have enough food supplied in grocery stores to not need to hunt ourselves. Some people don't have that luxury though and don't have a choice. I feel two different ways about the subject every time it comes up. It's hard to say how you feel in general and not to each specific situation. Sometimes its ok and sometimes its not, you just need to know all the facts before you make a decision.
ReplyDeletePaige C.
The lion video was pretty swell, it showed that just because lions are designed to kill they can have a soft side. I think its okay for humans to get close to large animals. The only problem with it is when people abuse the situation and try to civilizes these animals. Bears are also known to cause the government worry. If bears eat garbage found in residential areas they treat the place as their home, which is dangerous to humans and the bear. The government should work on migrating animals for place to place. Humans need resources but animals need land. If we can move the animals around it will allow us to gain the resources and allow animals to adapt to different ecosystems. We as a Community can do our part by making sure we respect animals land and make sure we don’t leave out any garbage. By respecting animals land I mean not littering in it our walking into and destroying their area. The problem about the resource collecting companies is they have to move around because they run out of resources constantly. So if we could migrate the animals it would be better because we could take the animals to a new area while their old area grows back. Cutting down on human intake of these resources would help the problem as well. If we didn’t harm animals we wouldn’t have to help them because the animal kingdom can run on it’s own. But since we have made such an impact on them we need to help bring it back to par.
ReplyDeleteI think it is okay for people to get close to animals as long as they don’t abuse the privilege - such as tourism or harming the animal by making it friendly to humans. The man in the video isn’t using the opportunity to get money, so I think it’s acceptable. Recently there was a bear man who lived with bears for years, and was eventually killed, showing that most people aren’t meant to live with wild animals. In Canada moose, bears, elk, and other big mammals win our sympathy. The logical solution is to put aside more territory for them, and stop needless hunting. Around the world most of the species we love are carnivores at the top of the food chain, so in order to help them we need to start at the very bottom, with plants, small animals and even insects. We might find that by saving animals we don’t find important we will help those we do. The problem is that in order to help the animals we like to see, take pictures of, and identify with, such as swimming with dolphins, the best thing to do is to cut contact and leave them own their own where they do best. To corporations after resources, too bad. They will have to find other means of extraction or materials that doesn’t intrude as much on wild territory. I also think that anyone who mines, clear-cuts, ect, should have full responsibility on the reclamation of the land and ecosystem.
ReplyDeletePippa R
I think it is truly amazing that he can be that close to such a large cat that can easily kill you. If you're careful and smart about it I think it's a great thing to be close to them. They all have personalities just like people. Although it is very dangerous if not approached correctly, think of the experience and memories you'd have forever. If I was that close to a Lion I'd be on my death bed surrounded by all my loved ones thinking " I hugged a lion. I raised lions in Africa. How cool am I?" This video made me want to experience this myself someday.
ReplyDelete-Kyrsten C.
Q: Is it ok for humans to get close to large, wild animals?
ReplyDeleteA: I think that it is good that people are making an effort to interact with and understand the creatures that we share this planet with. I have a couple of concerns regarding this topic. First off, are people trying to get to know animals for the right reasons. Sure, you will have some who are interested solely in the animals well being, but you will also have some who are purely concerned with their own interests. Secondly, no matter how much care is taken, somebody is going to get hurt. And when somebody gets hurt, it can be taken out on the animal, who was just acting on instinct. In this sense I think it is not a good ideas to try to get to know large animals.
Q:What role do corporations play in this ongoing challenge?
A:Corporations are generally just interested in making money, which is understandable, but somewhat unfortunate, as considerations about the areas and creatures affected are not always taken into account. This can lead to destruction of ecosystems and habitats, which in turn, leads to endangerment of species. Even when companies and corporations take all precautions that they are supposed to, it is not always enough. Whenever you disturb an area, no matter how little, you will have some effect, which can ripple out, causing more issues.
-Lyndsey B.
I think its okay to be close with animals like that guy said they can be interpreted like other human beings. We should allow animals to live in their natural habitat to keep them at peace. We should dedicate more land for animals to live naturally because a lot of animals are going extinct because of human development. For every reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction.
ReplyDeleteRyan B
Is it ok for humans to get close to large wild animals?: I think that to an certain extent it's okay for humans to get close to wild animals. However the people that do attempt should have well study and have a background information on the animal and know it's conditions and habits before trying to get close. We as humans don't fully know everything about the species and don't know how they react, and if they react in the sense of attacking it could mean loss of lives. Also people shouldn't get close just for the sake of being close, it would be more useful if the person(s) would do it for research and try to better understand how that species thrive. Another issue is we already know that us being humans have different personality motives, and perspectives on life and the world but the large animals don't. So, I think it'll be okay if only very few selective people can get close to animals because thery're there for a purpose and like in the video, Kevin has worked with lions for 13 years, which is a huge commitment to constantly keep up and keep the trust going. He also has seen the animals and his perspective is trying to preserve there habitats and make connections with them. The problem that could pop up is for humans to get close and the species become to trusting, and with more people becomes more personalities and some people might just do it to get close enough to the animals and then kill them. If this did happen, this could corrupt the whole trust altogether with humans and the few peoples work with the species. So overall, it is okay for humans, but just for some who actually want good intentions for that species and it's environment.
ReplyDeleteAnnika
About the video I think that it's a good thing to get close to wild animals if you are able to do it like this man. Because it allow us to have a better understanding of those species. To understand what they are what they need. I don't think it's a bad thing. I don't think those animals are gonna be nice to every humans they stay wild and dangerous. Even for that man he always needs to stay very careful and analyze their attitude all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think that the government should talk more about endangered species. People need to understand what is happening if they want to change there attitude toward the nature. The pollution is the main responsible of climate change which have an important impacts in species. Government need to put rules because the only way to save species is to respect them. Unfortunatly few people don't feel involved in this problem. But sometimes save species is against the will of the government because of the deforestation or extraction of oil (which destroy ecosystems) that allow a country to improve his way of life . Do we have to choose between nature and richness? Devolepped countries have the means to promote endangered species. Let's start by this.
Claire Buthiaux
I think we should get close to these wonderful creatures. Its amazing to see what they're capable of. We should be protecting them and learning from them. They have some much to teach us if we could only start protecting them. There can be risks when getting close to these WILD animals, but if you take small steps they will loosen up around you. The government needs to step up and take control. People will not stop poaching these beautiful animals because of their fur and I don't want my children to ask me "What was a lion like mommy?" or "Did you ever get to see a lion?" Its time to make some rules and protect them. It's time to protect all our animals because without them, there's no us.
ReplyDelete-Maddi
I think this video is phenominal. I love the idea of getting close and interacting with exotic species, it can help people to get a better and understand that animals like that do not have to be dangerous. People need to realize that animals have lives just like ours and if we were put under the same circumstances as them we would be the same. We wouldn't like to be hunted or made into clothing, so why should we do it to them. It is a totally different story if they are raised for it, but to just take them like that is harsh. We need to limit ourselves to only hunt for what we need, but even then we do it to much. The government needs to find a way to make sure that people have tags when hunting, and a license. Making wider variates of provincial parks, a stronger laws. Without animal species, we can't live, they make the ecosystem the way it is, just as much as we do, so we need to stop ruining it, because they sure aren't the ones doing it.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the movie. I like the idea of getting close to animals and interact with them. To learn about their habitats and lifes will help us to protect the world and thus us. But we can't forget that we will never be able to tame them completely and that it always be a risk for us to get too close to them.
ReplyDeleteMaking harder rules about hunting or building up more special animal parks would help to receive a bigger variety of animals. To pick up garbage or just don't leave it everywhere is a small thing everybody can do to preserve habitat and simply save the world.
Jan S.