Read away your animal worries (& then take action!)

                       Pangolin                                   Washington Post pic

The news about animals is depressing, at best.  Humans can be horrible, at least: Today there are more tigers in cages than in the wild.  In China, tigers are farmed -- so they can be killed for body parts believed to be beneficial to people and their skins, seen as status symbols. The Chinese also run frog farms -- not to fight extinction, but to produce edible frog legs.

Pangolins are the most poached creatures in the world right now, but ironically, they facilitate their capture by coiling into balls for protection.  Fourteen (14) tons (!) of their scales were seized not long ago in a trafficking bust In Singapore.

Endangered animal stamp

We can continue talking about crimes against animals later.  Infinitely more frightening now is the recently released UN report, showing that “Humans Are Speeding Extinction and Altering the Natural World at an ‘Unprecedented’ Pace.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/climate/biodiversity-extinction-united-nations.html?em_pos=medium&emc=edit_sc_20190507&nl=science-times&nl_art=0&nlid=20760274emc%3Dedit_sc_20190507&ref=headline&te=1

Take a reading break

Despite the rain that won’t go away, by this point in May we start thinking of summer and the countless pleasurable things it can include -- travel, exploring, beaches and -- does anyone do this anymore? -- sitting under a tree and reading.

Whether a tree, hammock or beach chair’s involved, here are a few new “animal books” that might be just right for relaxing reading.

*  Mutual Rescue: How Adopting a Homeless Animal Can Save You, Too, by Carol Novello.  (Grand Central Publishing)  In short, adopting a shelter/rescue animal has two-way benefits: for the “saved” animal, certainly, but also for the person involved, who might just be “saved” too.  “Animal people” already know “the healing power animals can have for people of all ages and in all manner of physical, mental and emotional trauma,” as this book’s stories illustrate.  

*  Our Symphony With Animals: On Health, Empathy, and Our Shared Destinies, by Aysha Akhtar. (Pegasus Books)  Empathy is the key word here, as in how a family dog helped the author through a horrific sexual molestation by a family friend.  Not having known an animal before, she then becomes aware of other aspects of the bond between humans and animals, to the point that losing pets can be just as devastating as losing humans.

Dr. Akhtar, whose dedication, “for Sylvester,” honors the dog who helped her, also explores the living conditions of animals “used for food, giving stark and disturbing details.” 

*  Tears of Battle: An Animal Rights Memoir, by Brigitte Bardot.  (Arcade)  The French movie star and sometimes sex-symbol retired in 1973 (nearly 50 years ago!) to advocate for animal rights.  One of the earliest issues she took on was the plight of seals in Canada.  (That was in 1977, and btw, the horrors continue today).  Having experienced the worst traits of humans herself, and become ashamed of  human abuse of animals, she has eschewed her relationship with people to focus instead on her own animal instinct, nature and soul.

Described as “an emotional, highly personal testimony of her decades of animal activism,” Bardot’s book describes the personal and social change that occurred during those years, and pleas for "humanity to evolve toward . . . mercy."

Need a temporary escape from today’s animal news?  Judging by the reviews, you can’t go wrong with any of these three books.  One warning, though:  if it’s still raining when you go outside to read, don’t sit or stand under a tree!

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Your comments here -- including your own book suggestions! -- are always welcome.  Please go to 1moreonce.blogspot.com