Doing what's natural

Last evening Mooch, our little tuxedoed resident stray, spotted a bird
while he was eating from the food bowl we always put on the veranda for
him when he appears. In a black and white flash he abandoned the bowl
and leapt for the bird, caught it in mid-air and made off with it. It
was sad, but it was simply Mooch's instincts kicking in. Our civilized
society doesn't condone bloodshed (except in our slaughterhouses -
hamburger anyone?) But shouldn't we make exceptions for nature and her
innocent killers?

http://www.flippyscatpage.com/moochtwo.html

On 22 May 2006 07:50:07 -0700, "Bobcat"
yodeled:

Last evening Mooch, our little tuxedoed resident stray, spotted a bird
while he was eating from the food bowl we always put on the veranda for
him when he appears. In a black and white flash he abandoned the bowl
and leapt for the bird, caught it in mid-air and made off with it. It
was sad, but it was simply Mooch's instincts kicking in. Our civilized
society doesn't condone bloodshed (except in our slaughterhouses -
hamburger anyone?) But shouldn't we make exceptions for nature and her
innocent killers?

http://www.flippyscatpage.com/moochtwo.html


I do, although it pains me. I used to love to watch nature programs,
because animals are so fascinating to me, but they always have some
animal either being eaten, or dying the kind of cruel, nasty death
that they do out in the wild (e.g. bitten by snake, lying paralyzed
for days, and dying harassed by hyenas-- arrrgh!), or having their
babies killed by some , or all that awful stuff. I know that's what
happens in nature, I'm just too squeamish to watch it.





Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Make Levees, Not War

I do, although it pains me. I used to love to watch nature programs,
because animals are so fascinating to me, but they always have some
animal either being eaten, or dying the kind of cruel, nasty death
that they do out in the wild (e.g. bitten by snake, lying paralyzed
for days, and dying harassed by hyenas-- arrrgh!), or having their
babies killed by some , or all that awful stuff. I know that's what
happens in nature, I'm just too squeamish to watch it.

Me too.

I don't scold the furkids when they catch and kill something. Whenever
possible I'll get their prey away from them as soon as they catch it so I
can I release it pretty much unhanrmed, but sometimes they're too fast for
me. But it is indeed in their nature.

Dan

On 2006-05-22, Kreisleriana penned:

I do, although it pains me. I used to love to watch nature
programs, because animals are so fascinating to me, but they always
have some animal either being eaten, or dying the kind of cruel,
nasty death that they do out in the wild (e.g. bitten by snake,
lying paralyzed for days, and dying harassed by hyenas-- arrrgh!),
or having their babies killed by some , or all that awful stuff. I
know that's what happens in nature, I'm just too squeamish to watch
it.

Me, too. Anyway, there's a difference between recognizing that's what
happens and enjoying watching it!

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

Bobcat wrote:

I agree, and I know that it also deeply troubles the camerapersons and
others behind the lenses of those documentaries - the ones who film the
carnage but don't want to compromise the authenticity of what they're
presenting by interfering and saving the victims of the predators.

And if there were to save the victims, they'd be endangering the
predators, who only have so much energy in which to chase, tackle,
and kill their prey. If they don't get some calories into them after
expending all that energy in the chase, they can be in big trouble.
So whenever I watch a show that has a predator chasing down and
killing a prey animal, I always remind myself, "They're *both*
running for their lives." That makes it seem less cruel to me,
though no less painful for the animal who dies, of course. But it's
just as much a matter of life and death for the predator.

One thing about those shows is that they often tend to glorify those
chase and kill sequences, maybe because they think it'll increase
TV ratings. That's what they figure people want to see, maybe? So if
you watch them regularly, you get a high dose of it. Lots of fascinating
stuff goes on in nature, but we tend to get a disproportionate
amount of killing on TV nature shows. There's a difference between
showing nature as it really is, and reveling in the bloodshed, because
that's what TV producers think will be the most exciting. So that
might be part of why it gets so hard to watch.

Joyce

wrote:
Bobcat wrote:

I agree, and I know that it also deeply troubles the camerapersons and
others behind the lenses of those documentaries - the ones who film the
carnage but don't want to compromise the authenticity of what they're
presenting by interfering and saving the victims of the predators.

And if there were to save the victims, they'd be endangering the
predators, who only have so much energy in which to chase, tackle,
and kill their prey. If they don't get some calories into them after
expending all that energy in the chase, they can be in big trouble.
So whenever I watch a show that has a predator chasing down and
killing a prey animal, I always remind myself, "They're *both*
running for their lives." That makes it seem less cruel to me,
though no less painful for the animal who dies, of course. But it's
just as much a matter of life and death for the predator.

One thing about those shows is that they often tend to glorify those
chase and kill sequences, maybe because they think it'll increase
TV ratings. That's what they figure people want to see, maybe? So if
you watch them regularly, you get a high dose of it. Lots of fascinating
stuff goes on in nature, but we tend to get a disproportionate
amount of killing on TV nature shows. There's a difference between
showing nature as it really is, and reveling in the bloodshed, because
that's what TV producers think will be the most exciting. So that
might be part of why it gets so hard to watch.
Joyce

That's a very valid comment - that the emphasis on violence and killing
seems to be a direct reflection of producers' concepts of popular
taste. Certainly it applies to human bloodshed in TV action programs,
and especially in the movies. Fortunately there are other enlightened
production units that present nature programs in perspective - i.e.,
violence, but only where it's absolutely relevant, and in proportion to
its actual occurence in nature as part of the life cycle of the
creatures we're watching. The National Geographic specials, for
instance, almost always get it right. On the other hand, depicting
nature as a happy-fuzzy sanitized eden where there's no killing at all
is wrong and misleading. Even Bambi's mother died - granted, from a
hunter's bullet and not a natural predator.

On 2006-05-22, Bobcat penned:
Even Bambi's mother died - granted, from a hunter's bullet and not a
natural predator.

I wouldn't say that humans aren't predators ...

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

On 2006-05-22, Bobcat penned:
Even Bambi's mother died - granted, from a hunter's bullet and not a
natural predator.

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
I wouldn't say that humans aren't predators ...

I wouldn't either. Human predators are the worst kind. They don't act
out of instinct, they act out of reason, or rather, unreason. Many
books have been written about human predators, including "People Who
Prey-Human Predators" by William J. Turman. He says, "Learn to
recognize Predators. They will be with us always. Whereas predators are
a necessity in nature and the wild outdoors; in human society they are
devastating. Eliminate those types from your life whenever possible.
You will be much happier." Good advnice, Mr. Turman.

http://www.outcrybookreview.com/predator.htm

On 22 May 2006 17:22:17 GMT, wrote:

Bobcat wrote:

I agree, and I know that it also deeply troubles the camerapersons and
others behind the lenses of those documentaries - the ones who film the
carnage but don't want to compromise the authenticity of what they're
presenting by interfering and saving the victims of the predators.

And if there were to save the victims, they'd be endangering the
predators, who only have so much energy in which to chase, tackle,
and kill their prey. If they don't get some calories into them after
expending all that energy in the chase, they can be in big trouble.
So whenever I watch a show that has a predator chasing down and
killing a prey animal, I always remind myself, "They're *both*
running for their lives." That makes it seem less cruel to me,
though no less painful for the animal who dies, of course. But it's
just as much a matter of life and death for the predator.

One thing about those shows is that they often tend to glorify those
chase and kill sequences, maybe because they think it'll increase
TV ratings. That's what they figure people want to see, maybe? So if
you watch them regularly, you get a high dose of it. Lots of fascinating
stuff goes on in nature, but we tend to get a disproportionate
amount of killing on TV nature shows. There's a difference between
showing nature as it really is, and reveling in the bloodshed, because
that's what TV producers think will be the most exciting. So that
might be part of why it gets so hard to watch.

Joyce

Many, many years ago I saw quite a long film clip on some documentary
program that showed a Thompson's Gazelle avoiding being captured by a
cheetah, the fastest animal on earth.

The gazelle manage to do this by being able to change directions much
more quickly than the vastly faster cheetah. The cheetah became
exhausted and eventually gave up. it was really interesting to watch!

This is why predators so often go after the young, old, sick or weakened
prey. The normal, healthy animals can be great deal of work to catch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Life without cats would be only marginally worth living."
-TC, and the unmercifully, relentlessly, sweet calico kitty, Kenzie.

How you behave towards cats here below determines your status in Heaven.
- Robert Heinlein

Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier.
-Buddha

On 2006-05-22, Bobcat penned:

I wouldn't either. Human predators are the worst kind. They don't
act out of instinct, they act out of reason, or rather, unreason.
Many books have been written about human predators, including
"People Who Prey-Human Predators" by William J. Turman. He says,
"Learn to recognize Predators. They will be with us always. Whereas
predators are a necessity in nature and the wild outdoors; in human
society they are devastating. Eliminate those types from your life
whenever possible. You will be much happier." Good advnice, Mr.
Turman.

http://www.outcrybookreview.com/predator.htm

The premise sounds interesting, but that blurb is a turn-off, at least
to me.

"This book is not intended for intellectual giants (or pseudo
intellectuals), that pick things to pieces for the sake of their
egos."

Sounds like someone who doesn't take criticism or logic very well.
(Mind you, I haven't read the book, but when someone prefaces a book
by saying that they don't want people to pick it to pieces, it's
usually because an educated reader would see plenty to pick at.)

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca