Hank and I don’t always get time alone these days, he is very busy with school, chess, skiing, Basque dancing, beyblading, parkour, and tennis to mention most of the activities. When those pursuits aren’t getting his attention his sister Margie is there to keep us distracted and entertained. This week, we found an hour to watch a video about pangolins. Described as a “dragon egg” of an animal, these strangely cute creatures are endangered. It is thought the pangolin is the most poached animal in the world, the unique scales are used as an ingredient in traditional Asian Medicines and they are hunted for their meat which is considered a delicacy. Hank and I focused our discussion on this beautiful creature and its characteristics. The pangolin is a scaly anteater of the family Pholidota. They are mammals and give birth to live young. The pangolin exist as 8 different species across China, Asia, the Philippines, and Africa occupying diverse habitats – including living in trees. The pangolin is the only mammal with scaly armor around their body. Those scales are very hard, according to research scientists, they can actually withstand bullets. The animal rolls up into a tight ball and the scales protect it from the teeth and claws of any predator. The animal is actually friendly and does not bite as they have no teeth. These creatures exist on ants and termites which they capture with a tongue that can be as long as 40 centimeters and is longer than its body. The creatures are nocturnal, bipedal, and prefer solitude. National Geographic reported an “estimated one million pangolins are believed to have been smuggled from 2000-2013.” Hank and I took some heart from the 2016 Convention on International Trade in Endangered species treaty that included 186 countries – it bans the commercial trade in pangolins. The pangolin is bulletproof in its own habitat, I hope we can protect it from humans.
The Earth is warming, not much substantive debate about that, and the reasons are complex. We should not get lost in the arguments but rather focus on what we can do to slow that disastrous progression. In 2018, the United States witnessed 8.7 million acres burning across our country, that is a new US record and well above the 10 year average of 6.8 million acres. The losses from those fires is also unprecedented at over $40 Billion in just the last 2 years. Australia has seen over 12 million acres burn in the ongoing catastrophe. A cost has not been placed on the personal property. One billion, kangaroos, koalas, and other animals are estimated to have died in the fires. Australia is coming out of its hottest and driest year on record as ocean circulation patterns aligned to heat up the continent and drive away rainfall. The loss of lives is staggering and recovery is not certain in our life times, we must focus on prevention. The pangolin can curl up in a protective ball but it would not have saved it from the fires, if we follow the myth of the Ostrich we can put our heads in the sand. I was reminded that putting your head in the sand and hoping for the best will only result in your ultimate asphyxiation.
When I get way off base in my thinking, I have friends who remind me to “pull my head out.” I think that behavior is common and really just a human version of the ostrich myth. For those of us on Earth, we would be wise to insist on protecting our planet, our home. Let’s all insist on a clear view of the facts!
Enjoy the week end, Mike