Hapless victims

So much has been said and written about the Australia wildfires and get none of it is enough. We cannot say enough, because whatever we say is the voice of the voiceless and defenseless wildlife. While humans have lost just material possessions, and 17 lives, millions of animals have suffered a brutal death. For no fault of theirs (“Australia tries to cope with an ‘animal apocalypse’”, Jan.24, Gulf Today).

Can you imagine the fallout if the plight of the animals was that of the humans? We’d be turning the planet upside down and calling for death of the perpetrators. Why not now? The perpetrators are humans of course and their large numbers mean that the fault is automatically dissolved.

Point one is that the indigenous wisdom of taming wild grass so that fires are controlled is forgotten with new age ‘wisdom’

Point two is that global warming and continuous encroachment of green spaces mean that the fires are here to stay. The next lot will be worse than the previous and damage control will actually be of no effect. Point three is the most heart wrenching.

The story says that the animals who are burnt and on the road side, are mostly dead, and others are in such bad shape they uncharacteristically move toward humans, either unable to see or starved and disoriented.

Joyce D
By email