Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Please save the Chimpanzee

It is perhaps a defeatist cause to be writing something like this on a blog that is hardly read. But I have nothing to lose.
See this.
I'm not being all emotional here about the cuteness of the animal or something. We are wiping off several species everyday anyways, and I shut up and mind my business. But the chimpanzee is our closest relative, and a critical element in understanding our own evolution, and our nature. We just cannot afford to wipe off such a species! Too much information is lost in the process. Of course we can clone them or breed them like we do chickens and preserve them. But that alters behavioral patterns tremendously from when they are in the wild. So while it may help with structural and genetic studies, it destroys considerable behavioral information I think. So I mechanically signed here. I'm feeling kinda desperate right now, so I won't even urge you. Its just some rant.

I also sometimes imagine a world without animals. But I suppose I'll never live to see that day. So its all good.

8 comments:

Mistress of Art said...

Feels good to read that there are still people left who're bothered :)

GB said...

Also the fireflies. No more fireflies in Madras, no more.

skar said...

@Are you sure? Go look in the IITM campus. I bet you'll find them!

GB said...

Going to IIT has never been in my scheme of things. Nada.

skar said...

Ok, may the wind be with you!(remember fire flies in the direction of the wind?)

Feel like extinguishing yourself?

Pradeep Nair said...

Man made destruction is bad. But if just get extinct what can we do?

silverine said...

OMG!! :(

Anonymous said...

You are not alone in your worry about the plight of many animals in the world. Tigers are in danger as well, not to mention gorillas and bonobos.
Yet I am hopeful that many of us are trying to redirect the destructive path humans have been following, especially in the last century.