Two quick stories, and an overall point. I have recently experienced a resurgence of interest in all things Nature. In particular I have been having a lot of fun trying to identify all the trees in my neighborhood and in all the parks I go to. So the other day I gave myself the task of seeing how…

The second instance with the Geese is not “nature” - it’s nasty people not controlling their nasty dogs. I see a lot of this and the response is always along the lines of “it’s natural for dogs to chase things”. Maybe so, in which case it on a short leash. Not that Canada Geese are in need of much p…

My highly subjective view is that humans are the ugliest side of nature in most circumstances. I won’t lie that I find some things difficult gruesome and emotionally painful (orcas tossing seals around as toys as they’re essentially tortured to death is not great for me to think about but there’s a…

I personally believe that sometimes we put too much human perspective on events that happen in nature. No taxon is inherently good or evil. They just do what they do, but some actions when viewed with human bias can be considered horrible/disgusting. Eg. it must be completely normal for a parasitoid…

Indeed. I remember seeing a comment on a post on a entomology-related facebook group of someone recommending to use soapy water to spray leaves to discourage creatures from feeding on them, and also emphasizing not to do that on milkweed because “that’s what monarch’s eat”. So yes its a bit unfortun…

I agree they should control their dog and not allow it to harass or harm wildlife, but I don’t agree the dog was “nasty”. Hunting and killing is part of a dogs nature, as you said. This part is entirely a human problem.

I sympothise with your with your experience with the geese as I have experienced similar situations. It is my view that wolves are natural and dogs are not and that dogs should be under control of their owners at all times. The same is so for house cats. In these situations, I try to contact the …

Yes, and a friend has become vegetarian (out of concern for animals!) but has three cats and feeds them meat because cats cannot survive as vegetarians. Humans are, perhaps, the most contradictory of nature’s creatures.

Quite a lot of dogs are “nasty” because that’s what their owners have allowed them to be - others are “nasty” because they have been bred to be biting machines.

A dog is not a moral being like a human. Calling one “nasty” implies it has choices, which it doesn’t.

Human beings are saddled with consciousness, which has caused us to develop a sense of right and wrong - the basis of morality. Unfortunately, most non human life lacks that consciousness, and are morally neutral. I have used the term ‘amoral’, but it has become associated with ‘immoral’. Morality c…

Ugly side of nature

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Ugly side of nature

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