Animals in the Wild

Humans first entered North America via the Bering land bridge about 13,000 years ago. The extinctions of all the major fauna of the continent -- North American horses, a camel, the Shasta ground sloth, the saber-toothed tiger, a tapir, a giant sloth, a giant beaver and the flat-headed peccary -- all occurred around 13,000 years ago.

The mammoth, the mastodon and the short-faced bear lasted a little longer, becoming extinct around 12,000 years ago. Skeletal remains of many of these animals have been found, with the distinctive spear points of the Clovis culture lying within their bones.

Further evidence for the role of humans in the extinction of large animals is to be found in the Caribbean islands, whose major fauna (ground sloths, large rodents, many bird and bat species) went extinct about 6250 years ago, also coincident with the arrival of humans.

Humans first arrived in Australia some 53,000 years ago. Recent study has shown that a bird called Genyornis, about twice as heavy as the largest living emu, died out abruptly around 50,000 years ago. There is at present no unequivocal evidence for the survival of any Australian megafauna more recently than 40,000 years ago.

Of all the continents, only Africa possesses anything like an intact fauna, including the large carnivores, elephants, rhinos, and giraffes. Scientists believe that since modern humans first evolved in Africa over 100,000 years ago, African species had time to learn strategies to deal with the dangers of human hunters.

In Eurasia, North and South America, and Australia, native species had no fear of humans when they arrived, so were easily slaughtered -- and rapidly driven to extinction. (Tim Flannery, in his excellent book The Eternal Frontier summarizes this evidence. Click here to read an extended review of The Eternal Frontier.)

Many more species have become extinct since humans first became mighty hunters. Habitat disturbance, the encroachment of human populations, climate disruption, pollution, spreading of toxic wastes, the use of insecticides and herbicides, overfishing and overhunting have all contributed to species loss.

Some animals are developing an uneasy truce with humans, finding ways to survive in and around urban areas. In my neighborhood of suburban Nashville, TN I have sighted deer, red foxes, rabbits, squirrels, possums, raccoons, skunks, chipmunks, red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, Canada geese, barn owls, red-headed woodpeckers, as well as native songbirds and migratory birds that are passing through. Unfortunately, some of these animals have also seen at the side of highways, testament to the high mortality inflicted by automobiles on the animal populations.

Each contact with an animal living in the wild (whether in the suburbs, or in a wilderness area) offers the opportunity for moments of wonder, as we witness them going about their ancient ways. Perhaps they acknowledge our presence, perhaps not. Yet this encounter reminds us of the compelling persistence of life on this planet, and the rich diversity of speciation that has spread across the globe.

There have been five massive extinction periods in the Earth's history - we are now in the midst of the sixth. The Holocene extinction is the scientific term for the massive loss of species that has been occurring with increasing severity since the Industrial Revolution.

Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife
by David Burnie

Stunning photographs and informative text elevate this book beyond a coffee-table existence. It includes nformation on the classification of animals, their habitats and behavior with charts, maps, photographs and illustrations. Subsequent chapters focus on specific species, divided into broad groups: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes and invertebrates. Endangered species information is at the end of each chapter. Since biodiversity is now at the forefront of biologists' concerns, the volume reports on the issues critical to ecology, from habitat loss to the species that are most endangered within each class.
Amazon.com Editor's Choice - Best of 2001.

Song for the Blue Ocean: Encounters Along the World's Coasts and Beneath the Seas
by Carl Safina

In this lyrical and heartfelt account of the North Atlantic Blue Tuna and Pacific Salmon, Safina describes how populations have fallen by more than 90% in just the last few decades - the result of changing global temperatures, overfishing, pollution, and inland watershed destruction. Safina argues that we must extend our sense of biological community to ocean animals before it is too late.

The Birds of Heaven: Travels with Cranes
by Peter Matthiessen

National Book Award winner Peter Matthiessen, a self-professed "craniac," has been studying birds most of his life, but his pursuit of cranes is closer to a spiritual quest than a naturalist's exercise. These majestic, mythic and notoriously shy birds, capable of soaring at heights of 20,000 feet, are often fond of remote and rugged places. Matthiessen's search for cranes has taken him to hidden corners of Siberia, China, Mongolia, Tibet, Sudan, and Australia. Matthiessen observes that the cranes serve as an ecological warning: "Perhaps more than any other living creatures, they evoke the retreating wilderness, the vanishing horizons of clean water, earth, and air upon which their species - and ours too - must ultimately depend for survival."
Read an extended review of The Birds of Heaven.

Elephant Memories: Thirteen Years in the Life of an Elephant Family
by Cynthia Moss

Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya is home ground to some 600 elephants; this herd has been relatively free from human interference and was a major focus for field study. Moss follows one extended family through 13 years of good times and bad times, observing details of their daily lives. This captivating story of an animal family covers mating, migration, social behavior, births and deaths. The final chapter addresses the problems of elephant control and conservation.
Read an extended review of Elephant Memories.

Galapagos (DVD)
BBC, Warner

In these volcanic islands off the west coast of Ecuador we see a living laboratory of life, both geological and biological. The westernmost islands are still rising above the sea, while the eastern islands are sinking, ultimately to disappear below the surface. Between the two are the middle islands - fertile, lush lands that contain an incredible diversity of life and inspired Darwin to first formulate his theory of evolution. This beautifully filmed journey highlights the exotic wildlife in the midst of gorgeous scenery.

The Life of Birds (3 DVD set)
BBC, Warner

The definitive series on the most colorful, popular and perfectly adapted creatures on earth, The Life of Birds traverses the globe, covering 42 countries and examining over 300 different species. Pushing filming technology to the limits, new behavior is brought to the screen in staggering detail. Infrared cameras find oilbirds deep in pitch-black caves; ultra-slowmotion film unravels the complexities of bird flight; and ultraviolet cameras reveal the world from a bird's point of view. Ten hours viewing time.

Animals in the Wild now appears on the Isle of Squid website! This great website is a directory of the best lenses on Squidoo, each having been screened for quality.

See for yourself! And Review this Site on the Isle of Squid.