The Tribune | Weekend | 15
Friday, June 25, 2021
animals
Snakes, and lizards and frogs and all things slithery By KIM ARANHA Animal Matters
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acebook is full of summery posts – people on boats or hanging out in pools with their families, happy smiles and straw hats. And then there are those panicky posts because there was a snake or a lizard in the yard. Innocent photos of a tree frog sitting at the bottom of a bucket waiting to catch an unsuspecting fly or two. The frog is not upsetting anybody, but there are tons of insensitive and unpleasant suggestions of how to kill that frog (or any other frog). Why, I simply ask, would you ever need to kill a harmless frog? Frogs serve a purpose, they eat the insects that we do not like, they eat larvae. They also croaked out a great bedtime lullaby for those of us who grew up before air-conditioning. Nature is brilliantly engineered so that there is a very complete cycle of life. We are all here for a reason; rhe world is a circle without a beginning, and we have no idea where or how it ends. Each species, no matter how small, has a reason to exist and is part of that intricate chain called existence. Without the circle of life there would be no survival. We are but a speck that fits into a very big picture. All animals seem to understand this except for humans. We humans are the most destructive of the chain, and alas, we are at the top and are the ones with the most power to do the most irreparable damage. We are supposedly the smartest and yet we appear to make some of the silliest decisions. Each and every one of us can play a part, no matter how small. Just scoop one drowning bee out of the
swimming pool. That bee can go off and pollinate flowers and fruit, he can go back to the hive and support the honey-making there. We often encounter people who say that they are too busy to get involved, and I get it, you may well be too busy, but simply don’t kill the frog in the bottom of the bucket. Let the snake slither on its way, snakes here are of no danger to you. Those pesky and adorable lizards on the wall in your house were not sent by Satan; they don’t mean you are going to get pregnant, and they are not kitted out with miniature antenna that report back to Bill Gates. They are simply small lizards on the wall of your house. Please get a grip on the superstitions handed down from
generation to generation and look at nature objectively. How has nature and the love of nature become a political position? Flowers, trees, clean water, prolific wild life and pristine underwater sea gardens have no place in anybody’s politics. Political agendas should all be fervently concerned with the health of our planet and the condition that we leave it in for the generations to come. Apart for being desirous of leaving a super cool planet for the grandkids, don’t we enjoy dangling our feet off the dock and seeing through the clean water. Isn’t it a treat to stand on a balcony and see snow capped mountains five miles away? These are moments that many of us take for granted, but with the way
pet of the week
already weaned, so she’s footloose and fancy free (and spayed!) Would you like a dog who will keep you on your toes? Who’ll explore the trails with you and maybe the beach? Then Tanya may be the match for you. Please call 323-5138 for more information. Tanya looks forward to meeting you!
A brave survivor By THE BAHAMAS HUMANE SOCIETY
Tanya is already somewhat of a social media celebrity having been featured on the Bahamas Humane Society’s Facebook page for a few days now. This lovely lady arrived at the BHS after being cut with a machete. The BHS vets worked hard to save her life and the wounds are healing nicely now. Zanya’s full of energy and ready to roll! She did have pups at the time she was found but they are
we abuse our planet, how we kill everything that we don’t like just because they displease us, as we infringe more and more into their habitat, will we still have the clarity of water, the clean air, the snow? The Bahamas is one of the cleanest places on earth; clean air and clean water. I am intentionally not mentioning the littering problem that humans cause. However, what about all the plastic in the sea, how is our marine life coping with that? Our reefs are struggling, cruise ship displacement of water is damaging, so much of what we do every day is damaging. Even, alas, planes leave a carbon footprint, and clearly it is not possible to return to horse and carriage and sail. However, we could perhaps exercise a bit more creativity and consideration towards nature. That snake is going his merry way. He wishes nothing to do with you. There are very dedicated groups who will help you catch and relocate snakes. That lizard is simply very cute and incredibly picturesque and the ugly tree frog is as harmless as the day is long. We are too obsessed with the here and the now. Most of us have descendants, most of us wish only the very best for them. But in our thoughtlessness we forget that we need to be the stewards of the world that we hand over to the next generation. Live and let live is a wonderful summer motto.
(Photo/Linda Gill-Aranha)
• The BHS Thrift Shop is open. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11am to 3pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm. We sell gently used items to raise funds for the shelter. If you’d like to donate, we’d be grateful to accept your donation. If the shop is closed, please leave them in the main shelter. Thank you!
