Nature is red in tooth and claw
In her estimation, Sheri Williamson would likely count me in the camp of the callous regarding the Green-breasted Mango's disposition. Nevertheless, her take on it is the one of the most well-reasoned and sensible approaches I've read yet. Regular readers of my blog know my fondness for birds, wildlife and nature, and when I say "leave the mango in the wild" I hope you understand it isn't out of callousness and lack of compassion begging me to this view. Lest we forget, the reason our world is filled with incredible biodiversity is partially grounded in the fact that extinction is the rule and death is very much a necessary part of the creative force of life.
I don't think this necessarily demands that we shouldn't help critters when we can. I do believe in good stewardship. In many ways, as we continue to degrade the wilderness, the remaining patchwork of natural areas become less wild and more zoo-like than they probably ought to be. Therefore, it's almost unavoidable for wildlife to not to be touched or affected by our way of life in this age of rampant development and habitat loss, rendering every living creature a candidate for our assistance should they make what we deem to be an error in their natural behavior. Is this just good stewardship or is it subjective meddling? Many birders I know are conflicted about the mango because it isn't so easily put in black and white terms. Perhaps this is the reason there isn't much listserv discussion and debate apart from that occurring on Humnet.
1. A Green-breasted Mango remains coming to a feeder in Wisconsin and the natural course of seasonal change threatens its survival.
2. A Green-breasted Mango remains coming to a feeder in Wisconsin and a natural predator threatens its survival.
Though a less probable threat to its life, a hummingbird can become a meal at the talons of a Sharp-shinned Hawk. What if one had taken up residence at that Beloit backyard and was observed taking strikes at it? Would you rescue the mango from imminent death? Would you try to shoo the hawk away? Watching a nature documentary on DVD or PBS, I sometimes catch myself letting out an instinctive sigh of relief when an Emperor Penguin out-swims a Leopard Seal, or wince a little when a Great-white Shark shreds a Sea Lion pup to pieces. I hear myself thinking, "I obviously know the cheetah needs to eat critters in order to survive, but I'm glad they showed the young gazelle getting away in this particular documentary." How many of you have seen the "Battle at Kruger" and not cheered for the young Cape Buffalo? "They're too late, they're too late," a woman can be heard lamenting. So much for the villainous lions!
In my opinion, it isn't the probability of a particular demise that counts; it's whether or not one is comfortable with the mango being taken from the wild by the wild. Whether by predation, weather, accident, disease or the slow decay of time, the Green-breasted Mango will eventually die. Left alone, it wouldn't have died without a reason; it would have died because it migrated too far north. Such is the reward for any creature that makes a "wrong turn" during it's lifetime. Though I fundamentally disagree with other opinions regarding the unusual circumstances surrounding this hummingbird, no one should doubt my respect and adoration of our world's wild creatures. At the very least, the mango should be returned to the wild as recommended by Sheri.
Link: Read Sheri Williamson's excellent blog about the Mango
Peregrine Falcon © 2007 Mike McDowell
6 Comments:
For the record, I would mourn for the mango had he been taken by a Sharp-shinned Hawk but not object to a native predator having a little Mexican food. ;> At least it would be quicker than death by hypothermia.
Ha! Hmmm, let's see...death by Great-white Shark or hypothermia. Given the two, I think I know what I would choose for myself!
Mike M.
As I've said elsewhere in the blogosphere, it seems that the 'spirit of the law,' even if not the 'letter of the law,' was abused in this instance -- and the law is a slippery slope. As the bird is now a permanent captive at the Brookfield Zoo, I too would be more sympathetic to the actions taken if there was at least an intention to release the bird back into the wild come spring.
Lastly, I am surprised that it is so widely assumed that this bird flew to WI. under its own power -- though certainly possible, I continue to believe it far more likely this Mango (accidentally) caught a ride in the back of a truck trailer going north, and did not traverse there on its own.
With regard to the expertise that has contributed to this discussion over the past weeks, I am a layperson in every sense of the word. But surely one can not be oblivious to common sense.
Wildlife, I believe, can almost always adapt to their surroundings but….it has to happen naturally and over long spans of time – hundreds of years. We often refer to it as evolution. But human technology changes the landscape and environment at such a fast pace that the laws of nature are unable to compete for the sake of the wildlife. Take a moment and think about how we have changed the earth from 1897 to 1997. A hundred years to you and I. That’s a lifetime for us but no more than a nanosecond in nature’s timeline. So in many respects it seems we humans have leveled considerable decimation on the laws of nature – thus the laws of natural selection.
Given that fact….it seems much easier to justify intervention in our interaction with wildlife in 2007 than it would be to have justified human intervention in 1897 – although one would not want to have this discussion with the Buffalo I suppose.
If we have the opportunity to restore an individual species such as the subject Mango to its natural habitat verses a “best of intentions aviary”, it seems to me to be a no-brainer. To quote a rather wise phrase from a rather well know individual…..
“Give me liberty….or give me death”
Having had a memorable brush with hypothermia (stage 2) on a quest for the Colima Warbler, I'd go for quick.
Alan, I appreciate your very perceptive comments. Indeed, it's a very different world today than a century ago - and getting "differenter" every day.
To be fair, I'd have to die from a shark attack, resurrect, die from hypothermia and resurrect again for the interview.
Mike M.
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