I love animals. Dolphins, apes, elephants, dogs, cats, horses...exotic or domestic...I love them all. I love reading about their behavior. I love watching them. Most of all, I love interacting with them. When I heard this story about dolphins using sponges on their noses (Credit for photograph: PNAS / Janet Mann) to protect their sensitive snouts while foraging I was captivated. It is a skill--a learned behavior--that mothers pass on to daughters in Shark Bay off the western coast of Australia. One male was observed sponging. Most of the spongers are female. Apparently, the males aren't interested in learning this skill. They would rather be out socializing.
Learning about animals' abilities to use tools or have cultural interactions validates some inner knowing for me. I am not so anthropocentric that I think we are the only species who can learn, create, come up with ideas, or have ongoing relationships.
I do believe that we are responsible to other animals and for what we do to their environment--their habitat. I take seriously our responsibility to be good stewards of planetary resources; and I believe it is important to give back in a meaningful way. Recently, one of my clients told me, somewhat embarrassedly, that she gives money to a gorilla conservation organization. I think she was surprised when I said, "That's great!"
Good stewardship requires making conscious choices: recycle; buy, eat, use organic; give money; volunteer. Amazing to think that these behaviors can all add up to something if enough of us do them, isn't it?
Somehow hearing about dolphins using sponges for gloves on their rostrums reminds me that I am responsible. I am responsible to learn and practice new behaviors.
I am responsible for them.
Wanda Tucker, Coach
3 comments:
Thank you so much for this article about the dolphins. Some folks suggest dolphins may be more intelligent than humans. Certainly our military has known for a long time of their ability to employ tools--using the dolphins to carry and set bombs. I love best the story in one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books in which a woman tells of a dolphin rescuing her, then inviting her back into the water to play until, happily fatigued, the dolphin carried her to shore a second time.
Thank you so much for this article about the dolphins. Some folks suggest dolphins may be more intelligent than humans. Certainly our military has known for a long time of their ability to employ tools--using the dolphins to carry and set bombs. I love best the story in one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books in which a woman tells of a dolphin rescuing her, then inviting her back into the water to play until, happily fatigued, the dolphin carried her to shore a second time.
I hadn't heard that story. Thanks for telling me. I have been in love with dolphins forever. I have had the opportunity to swim with them and to be surrounded by them when in a boat in Belize. They were surfing off the bow of our boat and took my breath away with their grace and beauty. I apologize to them all for what our military has done to them.
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