Creatures at Risk

I have always been fascinated by animals and by how we can learn to communicate across species barriers. One thirty minute exchange between a wild grizzly bear, a guide and myself in Bella Coola, BC changed my life. I learned to be attuned to their signals and respect their desire for space. When I spend time with emperor penguins, Icelandic horses, elephants, puffins, alligators, or other wild animals, it lifts my spirit and makes me feel healthier.

Studies have shown spending time with animals can decrease stress and reduce our feelings of anxiety, depression and loneliness. We tend to feel connected with a life force that transcends the human psyche.

Wildlife on Earth has decreased by almost 70 percent in the last 50 years. The primary causes of these extinctions are habitat loss, air and water pollution, global warming and sea level rise. Each year between 200 and 2000 species become extinct.

As more animals die off, many of us are experiencing eco-grief, so learning ways to protect the creatures of the earth will benefit not only ourselves, but them as well.