War and Wildlife
We fight among each other and chain the non-human to the conflict
I took this image several years ago, an elephant in literal chains but a conversation last night with the determined Kurd, Hana Raza, the champion of the Persian leopard, had me thinking of how we are chaining wild animals in so many ways, it's more than literal, more than metaphorical, it's a realm of attempted dominance in conflict with nature.
The current situation in the middle east means Hana cannot get home to Iraq to continue her incredible work… but she will. Leopard conservation is a tough gig at the best of times and these are far from the best of times. Air space above where Persian leopards should be roaming is not safe, birds are dodging missiles. Hana and I are working out a collaboration for using LeopardEye and while I know we'll get there, the disruption of war is far reaching I'm sure everyone reading this is feeling that right now.
Humans, livestock and domesticated animals dominate space in a shrinking wild world. Wild animals are in low proportions of concern. Wildlife habitats are encroached upon in too many ways. The ebb and flow of nature is impacted, the air and water nature set aside for us is impacted.
Missiles fired by us are making it worse.
Our choices are chaining wildlife, the non-human is ill considered in these circumstances where even our treatment of each other means genocide. The spaces that are left for true nature, unchained wild animals, are more precious than ever.
War is an awful thing but more than I've ever known the battle to protect what is left of wild spaces for wild animals adds up to that same word, war.
However, while I don't pretend to be even close to understanding the conflict in the middle east, I do believe we can win for nature, we can limit the chains. We have to always keep going though, the challenge is never ending, a deep breath of pure air is nourishing and natural but it is there to give the strength to cut the chains and stop them in the first place.
I thank everyone with the determination of Hana, you are doing what is right. The current circumstances have meant adjustments in recent days so next month it is for news of high mountain leopards with no chains, wild eyes, not sad like those of an elephant trapped with no space but determined in survival, as is their right… and the right which good people fight for.