The World We Ignore

I suppose it is the curse of consciousness that leads humans to see themselves as distinct from, and superior to, nature. It is a hubris that the natural world is paying a heavy price for, as we insist on placing our wants and needs above those of other forms of life. New research is showing how misplaced and misguided our sense of ourselves really is.

Those who read this blog regularly may know that I have written fairly often on nature and nature documentaries, the latter surely the easiest way for us, if we take the time from our busy lives, to reconnect with the wonders of the world around us. Moreover, if viewed seriously, such films can make us ask some hard questions of the lives we lead and the impact our acquisitiveness and self-centeredness have on the other creatures we share this planet with.

Last night I was reminded of these things as I watched the latest Nature of Things, entitled Conversations With Dolphins. Highly intelligent and self-aware, these creatures seem to possess amazing capabilities that, until recently, were believed to be the exclusive domain of human beings. Tool use, a teaching culture, precise communications and deductive reasoning are but four of the wondrous things these mammals are capable of.

What follows is a brief clip from the documentary, but I hope you take the opportunity to view the entire program. It may change your perspective on many, many things.

Pass the Puffer, Please

You probably know that dolphins are highly intelligent creatures, with brain sizes that are comparable to those of humans. And, like humans, they are self-aware creatures with the ability to solve problems.

I therefore suspect these magnificent creatures lead quite complex lives, and as we know, the ability to engage in complexity brings with it a great deal of stress. Without doubt, dolphins must contend with a great deal of environmental stress, including noise, pollutant or toxin exposure, presence of predators, loss of prey, and/or habitat changes.

So how do dolphins unwind and find some respite from the cares and worries they undoubtedly carry? They pass the puffer fish:



As reported in The Times of India, [i]n extraordinary scenes filmed for a new documentary, young dolphins were seen carefully manipulating a certain kind of puffer fish which, if provoked, releases a nerve toxin.

Their purpose? To get high.

You can read all about it here.

P.S. No word yet on whether the Harper government will be imposing stiff new penalties for use of this recreational drug.