h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Over here in South Africa there has been much talk recently about a case where a farmer *supposedly* disposed of a large number of unwanted male chicks (he was farming for egg-laying chickens) by having them thrown in a large empty cement dam, where they then died of hunger, thirst and exposure over the next several days.

Well many people condemned this, but also, quite a few people defended it! The farmer himself denied having done this, at all.

At any rate, it is quite illegal in South Africa. We *do* have animal cruelty laws here, and letting chicks die of hunger, thirst or exposure like that, *is* against the law. Legal ways of disposing chicks are still shocking, but at least the deaths of the chicks would be over more quickly.

The people who spoke out against treating chicks like this, were called 'moaners' and complainers by many who wrote in. Some letter writers said that those complaining, should take the chicks (atens of thousands of them) off the farmer's hands and raise them themselves; others said there simply isn't time and money for dealing with such 'insignificant' problems and that we should rather try to solve the problems of *people*.

Well there are so many things I'd like to say on the subject, but the newspaper will only accept short letters. I did send a letter, I hope they publish it, but for now, I'll discuss some of it over here.

The first thing I want to discuss is the ridiculous notion that we should totally ignore animals' problems and only concern ourselves with the problems of humans.

The problem I have with this is, 'human' is in my view a rather artificial category. We are a species, but only one species among many on this planet. We are not all the same. If we judge by any category that supposedly distinguishes humans from animals, we will also find that there are *humans* that greatly differ from other humans in the same category.

For instance if we take intelligence. Some humans are *vastly* more intelligent than the majority, and some are vastly mentally handicapped. If intelligence is 'the thing' does it then mean, that *very* intelligent humans warrant the most concern? Then we can make a category of 'super-smart people' and say, super-smart people should only care about other super-smart people, not about 'stupid people'. Look at it - it's the same argument.

I mean, really, intellectually, there are some of us who are as much smarter than the average human, as the average human is smarter than the average chimpanzee. So if intelligence doesn't make some *humans* more special than others, why should intelligence make humans in general, more special than animals?

If instead we take the sensible position that humans all deserve equal respect in spite of differences of intelligence, surely it's not much of a step to say, that animals deserve respect too in spite of differences between their intelligences and 'ours' as a species, and as an average.

I am also aware that many of the features we consider to be solely ours, in terms of intelligence, also do occur in animals. We think up things like 'rationality', the ability to reason; or 'language', the ability to communicate; or 'morality', the ability to judge between right or wrong, and see these things as being unique to humans ... they are not, those three aspects do occur in non-human beings, though in a lesser degree - and that's just it, it's a matter not of *essence*, but of degree, and as I said, humans differ enormously among themselves, with regard to those three abilities. There are today many people who function fairly well, but have almost no ability to reason in the abstract, very poor communication skills, and little or no sense of morality as a principle. Should they be excluded from 'humanity' because of that?

For me the bottom line is that animals are living beings and I respect all living beings. Sure there are differences, and there are degrees. Where animal ethics are concerned, I do make allowances for degrees ... I don't think a thing like a slug or an earthworm has much in the way of feelings or emotions or aspirations or interests that need to be considered (I may be wrong though) ... but, for me, things like cows, pigs, horses, even chickens, are *very* close to human beings. A functional adult of any of those species, to me is the same category of being as a young human who hasn't learnt to speak yet. I see such animals very much as speech-challenged 'people'. They certainly have feelings ... they can feel pain, and also pleasure, they can also feel things like fear, and probably other things too ... we know very little, still, about their experiential world, but I am certain, this world is much richer than most people would suppose. All the evidence points to many animals having absolutely exquisite senses. If they can sense, then they are sensitive, and sentient!

As I see it, we humans can only win by giving more respect to non-human beings. The more we can esteem and respect them, the more we can esteem and respect ourselves as well. Life, as a phenomenon, is incredible, wonderful, breathtaking, and deserves enormous respect, in any living thing - and how much more in ourselves, as well!

I have more to say about all this but will post this now, and say some of the rest of what I have to say, in additional comments ...

Fully agree, Willem. I had chickens when i lived on a boat (also living on the boat were 2 2 2 humans....)

The chickens definitely knew a thing or two, they knew 'when boat engine is running, stay in their hutch, when it stops, we've arrived somewhere, free to jump off boat & explore, along with the rest of the crew'...the only thing that they couldn't work out was "which side is land, which side water?" before jumping off...but the others also had this problem too, they all ended up just swimming back to Point A & making a noise until fished out!!!

The problem farmers have with 'too many males versus females' is difficult, i know, but as you say, leaving the poor to die like that is pretty evil.

We have 9 ewes & female goat, no ram or billy goat. We'd consider getting a billy so long as he doesn't bully the , but if we want lambs next year, we'd use a hired ram, sheep are a bit old to cope with a rampant male continually!

Yoda & Fritz are both neutered, i don't feel it's fair to add to Unwanted Kitten Syndrome, both appear unaffected by the op (I have had non-neutered of both sexes previously.)

As to the chicks, i thought there were ways of detecting the sex very early on, maybe i am wrong? No brilliant ideas as to how to humanely dispose of an overdose of males; all i can think of is contacting the zoo...but is death via snakes etc any better? Maybe more natural, but surely terrifying for the chick?

On a more positive note, we seem to have successfully bred not one, but two nests of swallows in the barn this year, so we have given the babies directions to get to your place for their Winter holidays!!!!

Plus the farm has been given 'Wildlife Corridor' status! (If you email me on zendevil3ATgmailDOTcom, i can send some pix, i'd love to see some of your place!)



zdt

Fascinating about the Wildlife Corridor status Terri.

I have read about that phenomenon which is really absolutely incredible.

I loved the story about the chidkens on your boat. Did they even try to swim when they leapt off into the water? I did not know that they could swim.

Hope you are all keeping well.

Christiane.

Hello Terri and thanks for your comment!

I'd have loved to see those boat chickens!

Over here the most 'humane' way of getting rid of unwanted chicks, is gassing them. As far as I am concerned, we need to strive for a world in which we don't even 'use' animals like this. It's a very radical concept and I know most people will simply not be willing to even consider it, but we can try and move in that direction. Maybe, a hundred, two hundred, three hundred years from now, humanity will be much more compassionate and considerate and this idea will not be radical any more.

I really believe that universal compassion for all living beings is the direction in which we must go. I don't think we can call ourselves civilised, otherwise.

I'd love to have a little farm, but basically, I'd rather grow vegetables than keep animals ... I'd love to have *wild* animals on the farm though!

I'll keep on the lookout for your barn swallows! They ought to arrive here any day soon ...

Great about the farm having wildlife corridor status! I'll email you, thanks very much.

Hello Christiane! I think Terri said the chickens *did* swim! It's something I'd like to see also! But chickens and ducks aren't actually that far from each other!

Great to hear from you as always, and thanks for leaving a comment!

All the best,

Willem

Yes, they did swim; with a lot of flapping of wings & much squawking once they landed, but they made it!

I've tried to get the URL of the Wildlife Corridor scheme, with no success, Google 'REPS scheme Ireland wildlife corridors'; should take you to the basics.

The idea generally is that on a farm like ours, which has few animals, is organic & has loads of diversity in trees, plants etc, is a haven for birds, especially migrants, it's an entire ecosystem, which hasn't been messed about with, these are rare & without them, wildlife cannot move around (they need Hilton Hotel Ireland for a quick break!!!)

We've also been registered for putting up bird and bat boxes, i have suggested to p that with the number of them already nesting, we maybe need to place notices:"here please; to the right, do your own thing....Visitors are requested to Not Eat the & beware of the "

zdt

Hi Terri, You are indeed so fortunate.

How on earth do birds manage to find the same migratory routes? Have they a sort of built-in radar?

I love your descripuin of the "notices" you should put up.

How marvellous to live on unspoilt wild areas.
all good wishes, to you all and your wild, migratory "visitors".

Christiane
AlsoRan80

Hello Terri! I think its wonderful that you have the farm as a Wildlife Corridor! This is very much what I'd also like to do with a farm. I'll see about finding info about it on Google.

Why don't you make a list of the wildlife on the farm? I'd be extremely interested!

I'll send you an email over the weekend, at any rate.

Hello Christiane! How birds find their way is actually very interesting. They use the regular senses like sight, hearing and smell, and also some senses we don't have: they are able to sense the Earth's magnetic field, and they have a 'sun compass' using the direction of the sun plus a very keen sense of time to work out where north, east, south and west are.

All the best,

Willem

Hi willem,

What wonderful creatures birds are. !

Lovely reading your posts. That wild Life Corridor of Terri;s is extraordinary is it not.

The ony wild life I have here are sea gulls.
!!

Go well,

with affection

Christiane.

Hmmm...an alphabetical list would be a long undertaking, but one worth doing! for the idea.

Should i divide it into Linneaus type system, birds, mammals, lichens, mosses, trees etc? they are all so totally ineter-connected, to the extent that i spotted a Peacock butterfly the other day, which are supposedly non existent here, but i'd planted Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla Mollis) plant the day before & seemed to be what it was looking for...

You won't believe this, but we now have a 3rd!!!! set of swallow nestlings, these are in the eaves of P's bathroom; what an amazing experience to awake to open doors & the swallows feeding babies breakfast, then the donkey saying "where's mine? I've munched the grass, left the thistles for the goldfinches."

The only downside for me is that because i am so allergic to insects, the wasps make a beeline for me every time i go outside (bees themselves are fine; i think the wasps are drunk on over-ripe fruit); so i have to retreat to the khonde.

TR: 'Khonde' = a porch on the side of the house, usually with a roof, but no windows, Southern African term.

zdt

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=wildlife+corridors+ireland&hl=fr&btnG=Rechercher&lr=

With luck, that may link to Wildlife Corridors, Ireland, interestingly, the Researchers name is Good!

zdt

Dear Terri,

I am finding it very interesting reading your post.

I am intrigued with the term Khonda, which I have never heard before. I must ask Willem if he has heard it.

also concerened about you atrracting wasps like bees around a honey pot.

Is there nothing which you cn put on yourself which would make the wasps not believe that you are a tasty morsel.

I am fortunate in that nothing comes near to me - at least not so far.

Do you live in Northern, Middle or southern ?

Go well,


Christiane.
AlsoRan80/



?

Hi Terri, Christiane, and anyone else reading!

Terri, it doesn't matter in what order the list is! Thanks at least for telling me about the Lady's Mantle and the Peacock butterfly, the swallows, the donkeys, the goldfinches! Sorry to hear about the wasps ...

Over here, I've a good relationship with wasps. Never been stung in my own garden ... and their little paper nests are beautiful!

I've never heard the word 'Khonde', no!

Willem