TOW #21 - The Unnatural Kingdom

All throughout time, people have always had an obsession with the natural wildlife that roam the grounds in tandem with humans. Whether it be the bald eagle that soars through the air as a symbol of freedom, or in Daniel Duane's case, the Sierra bighorn sheep. In an article writing about the protection of wildlife, Duane begins with a anecdote of viewing a bighorn sheep through the lens of binoculars. From a distance, it may seem like such a majestic sight, dangerously toeing the sides of rocky mountains with their big, massive horns. But no, take a closer look. With the bighorn sheep in recent years being put on the list of Endangered Species, scientists needed to find a way to protect them. Lions seemed to be a big problem, killing off a couple of sheep in a very short time span, and knocking the total American population down to just 100 of these wonderful creatures. What they've done is installed GPS systems in each and every one of these sheep. If a lion kills a few of them in a short time frame, they use the last known location, and go after those lions with hunting dogs so that they can eliminate the threat to the bighorns. It's quite fascinating if you ask me. In the intriguing speculation about the use of technology to preserve wildlife, Duane uses glorifying imagery to promote the idea that although it might tarnish the beauty of the animals, the steps taken are necessary and acceptable in order to keep them coexisting in tandem with humans. "Binoculars reveal three sturdy ewes perched on a wall of rock, accompanied by two lambs and a muscular ram. The sight fills you with awe and also with gratitude for the national parks, forests and, yes, environmental regulations that keep the American dream of wilderness alive." What this does is by glorifying the animals, Duane expresses the idea that it is necessary to preserve the creatures in any way possible because of their beauty. Although it might tarnish your view of the animals now with a collar around their neck, it'll be worth it in the long run when we are still able to enjoy their company 1,000 years from now.