World Animal Day:

The wide, wild world of animals

by Pramod DE SILVA

Can you imagine a world where only human beings live ? A world without animals and plants? Such a place will be very dull indeed.

Our lives are enriched by other life forms which also call Earth their home. Man himself is an animal, but it is other animals that make our world interesting.

Variety, they say, is the spice of life. And there is no end to variety in the animal world.

From the tiniest ant to the giant blue whale, animal life is astonishingly diverse. We do not even know how many species of animals live on Earth - scientists discover new species almost every day.

It is something that we should cerebrate every day, but lest we forget, there is one day in the calendar that makes us think of our animal friends.

That is World Animal Day, celebrated every year on October 4. The aim of this day is to celebrate animal life in all its forms, celebrate humankind's relationship with the animal kingdom and acknowledge the diverse roles that animals play in our lives - from being our companions, supporting and helping us, to bringing a sense of wonder into our lives.Granted, not every animal does that. But those that do, do it in abundance.

Man is closer to some animals than others - domesticated animals.

But there are two animals that man cannot do without - the humble dog and (the rather proud) cat. Incidentally, they are the only two carnivorous animals man has managed to tame so far.

They have been with us for more than 10,000 years, sharing a bond that is likely to stand the test of time. While these two animals are very close to our lives, there are countless other animals that have a place in our hearts.

I am yet to come across someone who does not fail to be moved by the sight of a panda or a dolphin in the flesh or even on a photo. Who looks away when an elephant walks by? Who is not awed by the majesty of a lion or the agility of a cheetah?Man is a mammal and a primate, so we are naturally more attracted to those animals.

But are there more graceful animals than birds? They can do one thing that we cannot (without mechanical aid) - fly. Any bird in flight is an amazing sight and most of them look wonderful even when sitting still.

No wonder that bird watching is the favourite pastime of millions of people. Birds are endlessly fascinating, birdsong even more so.

There is a (true) perception that we know more about the moon than the oceans. Only a few are privileged to dive beneath the waves to the marine world in action - most others will only see it on a TV screen or at an aquarium. It is a highly colourful world down there in our oceans, lakes and rivers. Scientists are yet to discover many exotic species which may be lurking in the deep recesses of the oceans.

There are of course, some animals which we wish weren't there - such as cockroaches.

But in the grand scheme of nature, every creature matters. Man necessarily has to co-exist with other creatures and of course, plants. But do we?

If you have heard the expression 'as dead as a dodo', you already know what Man has done to hundreds of animals, dodo included - driven them to extinction.

Incessant hunting has reduced the numbers of some animals to zero while many others are in a 'red list' with only a few remaining in the wild. Man has also invaded the territory of many animals, leading to conflicts between man and animals.

Sri Lanka's human-elephant conflict is an example. Efforts are being made to increase the population of endangers species, but it is an uphill task.Every animal lost - no matter how small or seemingly insignificant - is a loss to the ecosystem and to the Earth.

The World Animal Day is an opportunity to focus on these conservation efforts around the world. In fact, that was the very purpose of World Animal Day which was started in 1931 at a convention of ecologists in Florence.

They thought of it as a way of highlighting the plight of endangered species. Since then it has grown to encompass all kinds of animal life and is widely celebrated in any countries throughout the world.

October 4 was chosen as World Animal Day as it is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.

The number of World Animal Day events taking place throughout the world has increased year upon year.

Many Asian countries including Sri Lanka will hold events to mark World Animal Day. Along with the Environment Day, it is one of the most important days in the calendar that reminds us of the importance of nature in our lives.