For whatever reasons a bunch of random and not necessarily connected thoughts are going through my head today.
I have read several articles recently on the various viruses that are decimating shrimp aquaculture operations globally. I wrote recently about the disasters from white spot in Saudi Arabia.
There is a new disease called EMS (Early Mortality Syndrome) that is wreaking havoc in South East Asia, particularly China, Vietnam , Malaysia and Thailand.
There is no proof that a virus is the culprit in EMS though it is one very probable explanation as to cause, along with bacteria and all the usual possible culprits.
Virus fascinate me.
I believe our strategy to kill or prevent viruses is ill-conceived.
If you think about the etiology
of viruses you quickly come to the realization that the proliferation of
vaccines and pharmaceuticals designed to "kill" a virus will
ultimately result only in creating a stronger or worse, a "new"
strain of the original virus. This is in fact the nature of viruses and why
they (virus) along with bacteria are so successful as life forms on the earth.
I think we should focus more of our efforts on eliminating viral pathways and reducing all forms of stress on the organisms we are trying to protect from a particular virus through diet, environmental conditions, etc.
In any event more on viruses and their prevention at a later time. This week I have had occasion numerous times to be reminded how truly cruel and insensitive many human beings truly are in their dealings and attitudes toward animals.
No one is a purist. It is hard to go through life without causing the death of other life on this planet.
That said, killing a sentient creature for sport, getting joy from that killing to me underlies a serious sickness in the human race.
I was reminded of this this week when two local residents chortled with glee as they bragged of killing over 2o0 wild boar in this area from helicopters last year alone.
I recognize that wild boar in Texas are a serious problem. I also realize that wild boar are only out of control here because they were brought in by people who wanted more living targets to shoot for fun.
It saddens me when I see a wild boar on our property take off running in panic when they see my truck appear. What kind of existence is that that the sight of a human vehicle fills you with panic knowing your life is at risk.
It sickens me that people can enjoy killing and slaughtering wild creatures in this day and age.
I feel a loss and sadness when I see a dead possum or raccoon on the highway. Life is precious and as human beings we of all creation should know that.
There are many wonderful books that make the case for respecting and protecting wild and domestic animals. On Amazon alone if you enter "Animal Rights" or "Animal Liberation" 40-50 pages with 16 plus titles a page will appear.
Three books that made a real impression on me have been "Animal Liberation" by Peter Singer, "The Case for Animal Rights" by Tom Regan, and "Animals, Nature, and Albert Schweitzer" by Anne Cottrell Free.
Wild animals always bolster my faith in God.
I read this week that scientists are finally "discovering" that animals grieve. (Duh, Sherlock). Recent cases involving elephants, chimps, dolphins and dogs are providing undeniable scientific evidence of what most of us normal people have known forever, animals are pretty much just like us.
They live they die, they suffer and they cry. They know happiness and joy and they know fear and feel pain.
Killing any sentient creature is never morally justifiable. Enjoying that act of killing is reprehensible. This is my view.
We have an abundance of wild life on the Copano Bay site. In addition to Scales, the alligator, we have multitudes of birds, including ducks, egrets, gulls and hawks. We have wild boar, deer, jackrabbits and even a few species of turtles.
Below is a "red eared slider". First one I have ever seen but evidently a common resident around ponds here in Texas.
Very cool.
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