Editorial
All across the world, at this very moment some one is cutting down a tree.
It may be my neighbor down the street. He has an old large tree that is big and lush. This tree is creating too much shade and the grass in his yard wont grow. This single tree was home to 4 pairs of birds and a squirrel.
This is occurring on a much grander scale all across the world. What gives us the right to put our materialistic desires before the lives of the other creatures we SHARE this world with?
Take for example Africa. A population explosion is causing wide spread problems. Nature once took it course and disease killed many of the children in Africa. Now with better medical care Africa has the highest population growth rate in the history of man. In 1950, Africa's population was approximately 222 million. By 1990, the population had nearly tripled to 661 million. Scientists expect the population to reach 800 million by the year 2000.
Trees are cut down for a variety of needs in Africa.
This has a spiraling effect. First many birds loose their lives and can no longer find suitable nesting sites. Homes for many animals are lost with each tree cut. Then the people of Africa are over grazing their cattle and destroying the land. Then people resorted to burning cow dung when all the other fuel sources were no longer available. And if you have ever grown a garden, then you know what cow manure can do to help fertilize the soil. This method contributes to desertification by removing the source of natural fertilization that has allowed soils to remain fertile.
The there is the issue of catching wild animals and forcing them to be our 'companions'. I came across a web site a few days ago. The author seemed to believe that birds didn't belong in cages and I really could see her point of view.
Many species of birds are now endangered because of our desire to have them as pets. On the other hand many species were hunted, for fun and food, their habitats destroyed by ignorant people. If it were not for domestic breeding programs that were established during the days of importing, these species would be in greater danger of disappearing for good.
Another strong point was that is we choose to have these beautiful creatures in our homes then we have a responsibility to meet their emotional and physical needs. This isn't being done! I have met many people at the UpatSix RTC that have told horrifying stories of abused birds. A friend of mine has a gorgeous Moluccan cockatoo named Cotton Candy. She is a gorgeous bird! Except the she can not even walk! She was beaten and her leg was broken. Then they never even took her to the vet to have her leg set. She is crippled with arthritis and is blind in one eye. This bird was born in the wild and ripped away from her home. As if that wasn't enough she was abused and neglected. She is quite lucky to have found her way into Bobbie's heart and home. Her life is forever affected. I wouldn't want to experience one of this birds nightmares, would you?
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Well, that is enough from me right now! I think I have kept you long enough. I will be changing this from time to time so please come back again soon!!
Stop in and see Cotton Candy and the rest of Bobbie's Bunch!
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