Looking Back on Last Week’s National Geographic DVD Series
December 1st 2008 21:00
Photo by Ltshears. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Last week, when the Daily Telegraph newspaper offered a different National Geographic wildlife DVD each day for $2 with a purchase of the paper, I got up early each morning to get my DVDs. This time, my hard work paid off: I had no problems getting hold of them. What a change from the last time they offered this series. I had made the mistake of going to the newsagent late every morning and had to try a couple of newsagents before I could find one who still had copies of the DVDs left.
So last week was a busy week for me. When I wasn’t working long hours at the office, I was holed up in my flat in front of the TV, watching DVDs about elephants, pandas, monk seals, zebras, gorillas and lions. I am halfway through the one about Siberian tigers and I still have to watch the one about baby animals.
My favourite one so far is the zebra DVD because that was the most informative. I never knew zebra have stripes so when they stand together as a herd, it confuses their predators. Nor did I know that zebras travel in a row, with the most dominant ones in the front. It was sad to discover that when zebras are being chased by predators, the stress is enough to make pregnant zebras miscarry.
What is also sad to hear about is the rapidly declining numbers of these animals. Needless to say, most of this is caused by humans e.g. poachers, hunters and loggers. But the DVDs also show researchers’ attempts to sustain wildlife. It would be a very sad to see these animals become extinct.
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Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
I love that pic you chose - classic leaning. Its a comfort manuover as well as a dominance one. Horses (And all their family) have such a complex langauge!
Comment by Queenie
Quirky Folk
Quirky Queenie
Thanks for coming back. I've missed your comments.
That's true what you said about miscarriages but nevertheless, it was sad to watch a mother lose her babies. And there were predators who quickly gobbled them up. Nature can be cruel.
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Nature can be cruel and it often makes me sad, but its such a hard balance to strike. Here, I can control the environment. My mares first foal would not have survived if he was wild. I swore when I became a property owner - quite literally, God of a massive eco system including plants, animals and insects - I would not make those hard decisions, and always choose life over death. But sometimes, there really is no other choice. Last week I had to take some kittens to the RSPCA and it broke my heart, but I had to do it. I now own 8 cats, I couldnt take on any more. I still have to catch the mum, she's pregnant again.
At least the wild Zebra can quickly breed again and forget the grief of her lost ones, its all part of natures plan I guess, and a less traumatic way of feeding the meat eaters than losing a valuable herd member.
Comment by Queenie
Quirky Folk
Quirky Queenie
It's sad to hear about the kittens but then again, you can only do so much. And who knows? They might find a forever home. I'm glad I have friends like Brett who choose to get their pets from animal shelters. Just think of the lives you have already saved.