Speaking for myself, watching the horrific events unfolding in the Gulf produces a very personal feeling of helplessness and distress.
As an avid birder and overall lover of wildlife, pictures from the Gulf states, particularly of oil covered birds, both sadden and sicken me.
These poor creatures are at the mercy of fate. This is not something which they can understand, avoid, take some sort of protective measures, or reason with.
I’ve often said many times, I feel more grief toward the plight of animals than that of humans during tragic situations, especially when that plight is due to man-made actions, whether those actions were planned, accidental, or done with a wanton disregard for things around them.
Right or wrong in other’s eyes, I can’t help but feel that way.
Though that empathy is subject to the specific situation, it is just an honest feeling of mine, tempered by the type and seriousness of the hardship toward both people and wildlife.
This is a devastating situation for the citizens of this region. The familiarity of their daily lives, the place they have made home, and, in many cases, a way of life which has been a part of their families for generations is now either threatened or altered forever.
They will be helped. They are able to do what they believe is in their best interest, and they will be able to get financial restitution from the government and all responsible parties.
The unavoidable reality, however, is that wildlife has no such assistance.
It is a heart-wrenching, disturbing, depressing fact.
When the innocence of nature’s creatures is harmed, it is, at least for me, a very sad thing.
Very sad.
