Remembering Wildlife

[Tronhard]

For those of you who look at my photos, it will be no surprise that I love wildlife - particularly large mammals.  Sadly, wildlife across the planet are facing a new mass extinction, linked to climate change, illegal hunting, loss of habitat and impacts of fertilizers and insecticides.   

I was listening to a BBC item on a report that indicates that we are facing a massive loss of insect species, something I think most of us would find surprising, as we had fondly thought they would outlast all other species.  The significant reduction or complete loss of species in some areas has meant that crop pollination has to be done by mechanical means now, which is a sad indictment on the state of our planet.

One project, to remind us of some of our threatened species is the Remembering Wildlife program.  It has engaged the voluntary services of some of the top wildlife photographers to take, or donate images of a particular animal each year.  At present it is concentrating on macro mammals, and the images are stunning.  It's worth a look... 
https://rememberingwildlife.com/

So, I had the thought of starting a challenge to us all to share our very best portraits of animals that we have encountered.   By portrait I mean something that shows the character of the animal.

If you post, please make a comment on the animal and why you feel that it is significant.

[Tronhard]

Awareness:

I love the great primates.  They are our closest cousins in the wild and we share so much and so many traits with them.  I sat with this old male orangutan for over an hour and he obviously was really looking and considering me, it was a moment of great connection and I came away humbled from the experience.

Canon EOS R6, RF 100-500@500mm, f/8, 1/500sec, ISO-1250

[Tintype_18]

May I respectfully disagree with you, Trevor? Legal, controlled, professionally managed wildlife along with strict, enforced hunting laws do not and have never contributed to wildlife extinction. I would like to see examples, please. It's interesting but it was said that 80% of all life forms that have existed on earth are extinct. Not very encouraging, is it? Moderators might not see this as the place but will be glad to dialogue with you by message.

[Tronhard]

I had intended this thread to be a celebration of wildlife through images that capture their nature, and not a debate on threats to wildlife, and I hope that this latter will not dominate it.

That said, I feel it necessary to respond to your comments... I have no issue with the officially controlled and limited sustainable hunting of wildlife that is not endangered, especially for food, or for re-establishing natural balances.  That is sustainable and with a positive purpose.  I have no enthusiasm for the killing of animals for the pleasure of doing so - for the challenge, I hunt with a camera, which is harder.

What is the issue is the massive increase in wildlife extinction and threats from uncontrolled hunting, poaching on reserves, loss of habitat from encroachment of human activities. In terms of hunting: the on-going poaching of elephants for ivory, the same for rhino for their horns, of bears for their gall bladders. 

Then there is the replacement of Indonesian native jungle habitats for palm oil plantations, endangering already threatened orangutans.  Or the cutting of old growth forests for luxury timbers, or for farms that are soon exhausted due to inappropriate land use in the Amazon. Pollution from industrial and agriculture operations, and the predation of species by animals introduced by us to new habitats - inadvertently or otherwise.  For example, NZ native bird populations have been devastated by the introduction of rats, cats, possums and stoats by humans. 

Over 1 billion people depend on the ocean for their food, yet we are depleting fish stocks at a dramatic level and plastic pollution is entering the aquatic food chain, resulting in microplastics and toxins being ingested all the way up the chain to us. Video: A Plastic Ocean 

If you need examples for yourself I would suggest starting here:
Strong evidence shows Sixth Mass Extinction of global biodiversity in progress | ScienceDaily
UN :Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services | IPBES secretariat
Summary of the full report: Executive Summary of Intergovernmental Report 

These are heavily researched and peer reviewed reports by leading scientists and are not to be dismissed - they are a dire warning to all of us that how we are treating our own ecosystem is going to destroy it, and our ability to live on this planet. 

This extinction is not done by responsible hunters, it's the result of greed for short-term profit, often by those who do not live in the places where their agents operate.

[Tintype_18]

Trevor, I read that chimpanzees share 98% of our genes. Sort of verifies the saying, "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!"

ThoughtL My friend send an email that follows this: If man evolved from monkeys, then why are there still monkeys?

[Tronhard]

This thread is not meant to be a debate on the ethics of natural selection, it's a photography site and I set forth a challenge to take photos that show the significance of other creatures that share our planet with us. 

I would like to keep that theme

[Tronhard]

Thank you Sandra.

[Tintype_18]

If we look at the loss of habitat around the world, it's not surprising that many species are on the brink of extinction.

What is disturbing is a statement that said 80% of all lifeforms that have existed on earth are extinct. Doesn't bode well for Homo sapiens or anything, does it? With the present situation we see on the news, it could be a fact. Trevor, you have brought up some thought-provoking data.

[Tronhard]

We are the authors of our own future.  I do what I can to celebrate what we have and enjoy that diversity at the same time.  

[Tintype_18]

The orangutan is wondering what settings you are using.