On World Wildlife Day, The Hindu Says It Best

Picture Courtesy: The Hindu

The ad starts with a headline that reads” Meet The Dumbest Creature on The Planet” , followed by a long body copy that goes on to pillory the sea turtle for being so ‘stupid’ that it can’t differentiate between its favourite food, jellyfish, and plastic in the sea. Leading to a situation where the species is heading for extinction.

This, in contrast with the ‘smartest’ creature on the planet, humans. A compendium of human achievements  are listed, including the final one, the invention of plastic, and how it found its way to the oceans due to humans.. leading to the death of the turtles.

The message, if not clear enough bears repeating. That we need to consider the consequences of our actions far more than we have done hitherto, including actions that have a positively deadly effect on the bioverse. This, at a time when close to a million species are yet again on the edge of a mass extinction over the next few years, caused mainly by human activities, is a sobering thought to consider.

Especially the next time you trow away that plastic bag you still can’t do without.  Remember, it continues to extract a heavy toll well after you have thrown it away.

World Wildlife Day was adopted by the United Nations on 20 December 2013, at its 68th session.  It was picked  due to the day being the day of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973.