Paintings By Animals: Abuse or Enrichment?

After reading comments from a LinkedIn discussion (more like a debate), “Should we consider paintings by dolphins, elephants and chimps as art?” I began to think about the ethical debate of these animals creating these paintings in the first place.

Perhaps you’ve seen the video of Thai elephants painting for tourist? These videos sparked quite a bit of discussion concerning the exploitation of these creatures, including methods of training, rewards system, methods of trainer control during painting (some using chains, prods, others through gentle encouragement by the trainer), also the age of the elephants, and more. It is advertised that the paintings sold generate funds that help cover the cost of treatment and care for these elephant camps. However there is concern that the elephants are very young and are being taken (too young) from their mothers in order to do these paintings--questioning the legitimacy or sickening "spin" of claims the funds support milk for orphaned elephants.

• Are these animals enjoying a voluntary, natural expression, or are they performing a trick for a reward?
• Is this animal abuse or animal enrichment?
• Are we imposing our human traits onto non-human beings?
• Are the animals enjoying this activity?
• Is the trade off worth the funds raised to promote awareness and protection of these animals in the wild?
• Is it ethical?

Take a moment to watch and read these links for more information and please share your comments below, tell us what you think:

Why Elephants Paint Thoughtful article discussing concerns about elephants painting for tourist and/or to raise funds for the camps that house them.

6 Professional Painters From the Animal Kingdom Six animals "known" for their art, each with a short description of how they started painting, background on where they came from, etc.

12 Artsy Animals That Paint A text and slideshow of domestic and zoo animals creating art for show and fundraising.

Elephant Painting Self Portrait YouTube video

Dolphin Painting Project YouTube video

Animal Arts multiple videos of different animals painting to see for yourself

 

Flower Grenades and Seed Bombs

This was seen in my latest Mental Floss magazine’s “Watercooler Ammo” e-mail, an enthusiasitc paragraph about “Flower Grenades.” These cermamic grenades are distributed by a UK company named Suck UK, they are filled with wildflower seeds (in this case buttercups poppies and ryegrass), designed to encourage guerilla gardening in empty lots, sidewalks and municipal scrubland “where nothing can grow.” The idea is to turn urban areas into wilderness.

The company says it will not ship outside of UK. I’m not sure if that is for security purposes (after all these are grenade look-alikes) or for invasive species purposes, or both. Either way, I’m glad they won’t, but it makes me wonder how many U.S. companies will join in this re-visited trend.

Seed-bombing has been around, and these green grenades are designed by artist Tony Minh Nguyen and Snowhome were seemingly born of an earlier project (Bio-Grenade, 2008) which Tony Minh Nguyen describes:

"Paradox of construction-destruction ran this idea. Instead of the grenade form leaving a detrimental impact it disperses life. Designers are ultimately the ones that determine how products respond to our environment. With this responsibility comes the careful consideration of what materials one should use to reduce a product’s impact. There is no better time then now to start thinking about tomorrow. For the paper pulp I recycled blank newsprint discarded from Savannah Morning News. The wildflower seeds used are native to 48 states not including Hawaii and Alaska."

Source: http://www.geekosystem.com/flower-grenade/

It's a great concept, I love his message. Maybe (big maybe!) I can get behind the idea of using species native to most all states, but the reality is it doesn’t take into consideration the vast environmental niches within each state and variety of ecosystems found throughout any environment. I love the thought behind the message and even its intent—hey, how about extemely localized seed-banks offering a community day where we could go seed bomb crazy in the empty lots around town—on a non windy day, with good public education on the importance of native species and the controversy regarding invasives? But don’t sell them! Fact is, they will travel. And the point is, many of our native wildflowers species that grow in our little patch of desert are so localized, they are not found anywhere else…not in other states, nor other parts of California, and not even in other deserts split by a shared mountain range!

I have a big problem with these, the idea of one being thrown out of car windows by “well-meaning” visitors who see nothing but a barren desert landscape makes me cringe to the core. It's like people "setting their pets free." The human variable. What one sees as barren and lifeless, another has learned about the 100’s of hidden plant species, alive and thriving in a delicately balanced desert ecosystem. We battle invasive plants out here like crazy, the non-native species adversely affecting natural water sources (stealing this precious resource at a rate that true plant natives can not adapt quickly enough to recover), choking out perennial and annual natives, and taking over entire sections of protected land, with seasonal armies of volunteers just trying to keep up with these human introduced intruders.

These flower grenades are warfare, but not with the kind intentions that they were probably meant to be. Unfortunately, even with so-called native species in the mix, they are short-sided "beautification" impulses leading to long-term battles.

Image: Suck UK.com

Hazards In The Sky

As fall approaches, it signals the seasonal beginnings of celebration. When we celebrate truly important events in our lives, like holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, babies being born and more, could we be putting wildflife and the natural environment at risk?

Many of you are familiar with Caliso ambassadors Taco, Guacamole, and Rufus, our desert tortoises. Something easy to demonstrate to visitors is the attraction of a piece of deflated balloon placed on the ground or hanging from a cactus pad looking just like cactus fruit or a colorful blossom—two of the desert toroise’s favorite foods. 10 times out of 10, our tortoises will go investigate the popped balloon and sometimes even try to eat it (of course they never get the chance to get it near their mouth). The point is to demonstrate that the fun and festive act of releasing balloons can have a devastating effect on native critters on land or in the sea many, even hundreds of miles away. These balloons simply look like the prey or plant food sources that many species rely on for their survival. Instead animals might ingest a balloon causing sickness and death because of blockages from this indigestable material—resulting in a preventable scenario of an animal that starved to death.

We’re not suggesting we should ban balloons. Or should we? Balloons can be celebrated with, if we don’t let them go! Pop them first. But that’s not a guarantee. We’ve never used balloons at our community booths as a stand against them. Yet, just last month we celebrated my son’s 4th birthday and we had balloons for his indoor party. About half way through the party, the thought occurred to me that it is possible one or more of these balloons that go home with a child could be accidently released. Ugh. Feeling the shame.

In a similar example I came across an article about Sky Lanterns, or Chinese Lanterns. These are rounded paper lanterns with a lit candle inside which are released into the night sky. It’s makes for a beautiful, celebratory moment. But lately in the UK farmers are complaining about the lanterns becoming a big enivornmental hazard, seen as floating potentials for setting wildfires because they frequently fall back down to the ground smoldering or actually on fire (despite the flame-resistent paper it’s made of). Equally devasting is that the thin wire (used to make the lanterns, which the paper is wrapped around) is being picked up and cut up in harvesting machines for feed then being consumed by cattle, becoming a lethal needle inside the animal. In addition, these lanterns are often mis-identified as distress flares and UFOs.

So what are we to do about these festive accessories? How culturally significant are balloons and lanterns and should that be considered? Many communities are banning plastic shopping bags as a responsible solution to trash problems and wildlife injuries.

What is the right solution for balloons or sky lanterns? We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts with us—or simply start a conversation about it at your next family meal.

Images: bbc.com

Wildlife Conservation and Eco Tourism: More Harm Than Good?

I just came across this book, sure to be a controversial topic, in the Nature Conservancy's LinkedIn discussion group. What are your thoughts on the newly released, Nature Crime: How We're Getting Conservation Wrong written by world expert on the ethical dimensions of wildlife conservation and management, Rosaleen Duffy?

Her book claims wildlife conservation projects do more harm than good and western-sytle eco-tourism meant to protect animals damage the environment and criminalize local people. One topic she tackles head-on is the western approach that there is an oversimplification of assuming people are the enemies of wildlife conservtion, that they are, “the illegal traders, the poachers, the hunters and the habitat destroyers. Equally flawed, she says, is the belief that those engaged in conservation are 'wildlife saviours'.”

In the article linked below Duffy explains, "The inability to negotiate these conflicts and work with people on the ground is where conservation often sows the seeds of its own doom.” She adds, "…some attempts to conserve wildlife end up pitting local communities against conservationists…because they are regarded as unjust impositions, despite their good intentions…failing to tackle such injustices damages wildlife conservation in the long run."

We are very interested in learning more about this hot-button topic as we see some valid points worth exploring. Read more about her concerns, research and reasons here and share your thoughts with us.

Mountain Lion Killed For Eating Deer, Not Dog

June 03, 2010

Mountain Lion Killed

Kathy Davis, Times Reporter

A young mountain lion that built a den in the brush on River Street in Buena Vista had to be shot because it already had an orange tag in its ear, Division of Wildlife manager Randy Hancock said June 1. The mountain lion was under a year old and weighed about 80 pounds, Hancock said. A little over two weeks ago, the mountain lion was seen in a subdivision in Chalk Creek. Chalk Creek residents contacted Salida DOW manager Rob Dobson. Dobson was able to walk right up to the mountain lion, Hancock said. The mountain lion was tranquilized, tagged and moved to more native country in the Fourmile Travel Management Area.

A couple of weeks ago, the mountain lion made its way to Buena Vista and killed a deer in an area along Cottonwood Creek just off Railroad Avenue. The mountain lion made a den in the brush near the deer carcass.

About a week ago, Dee Warner of Manitou Springs was visiting her aunt Jody Grieb, who lives on River Street. The two were cleaning in Grieb's garage when they heard Warner's dog, a standard poodle, bark. Grieb and Warner went to check on the dog and saw the mountain lion standing on three paws with one paw ready to swipe at the dog, Warner said. The dog had wandered toward the deer carcass and the lion "was trying to protect its food," Warner said. The mountain lion hissed at the dog, she said. Warner's dog returned to the Grieb residence when Warner called it. Warner later drove down the alley near River Street and saw the location of the deer carcass and the mountain lion's den. She contacted DOW.

Hancock said when he saw the orange tag in the mountain lion's ear, he contacted supervisors and was told to "put it down."

* * * * *

According to the Mountain Lion Foundation,

the young lion was seen along a narrow greenbelt in Chaffee County that connects two large mountain ranges (Gunnison and San Isabel National Forests). The cougar had set up a temporary den near his deer kill beside Cottonwood Creek.

Did the Colorado Division of Wildlife respond too drastically?
What should be considered before decided the fate of the lion, kill vs. relocation?
How would you feel if your family lived in this location?

Please share your thoughts :)

Whales and dolphins - 'Resource' or 'Right'?

Please read this insightful article (including the comments!) from BBC News, "Whales and dolphins - 'resource' or 'right'?" written by Margi Prideaux.

"Do you agree with the article's author? Do whales and dolphins display signs of sophisticated intelligence and complex culture? If so, should that change our relationship with them? In particular, does it proscribe hunting them and keeping them in captivity?"

"Perhaps it is time for us to decide that we believe whales and dolphins do have a right to their lives, their liberty and the protection of their home and family."

After reading this article, tell us what YOU think, please share your thoughts...

What's worse for the environment - reading the paper in print or online?

Check out this great article by Lynn Hasselberger discussing the well-researched pros and cons of reading the New York Times (in this case) online or in print.

What do you think is ultimately best for our environment? Please share your comments after reading: The UnGreen … the Sunday paper « I Count for myEARTH

As a side note...this makes for a fantastic science fair project/model for students to consider (that time of year!). Many environmental issues just like this are out there, waiting to be proven or busted. Hasselberger gives us an important reminder to be sure you're educated of the real impacts before jumping on a cause that seems right. It's good to consider all sides, their sources/agenda, and to do our research to be informed eco-citizens! :)

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