Town Hall

Interference (April 2010)

In "How to Mail a Whale," you read about beluga whales being transported across the country, with a trainer constantly by their side. Then, in the gorgeous photographs of James D. Griffioen, you witnessed nature reclaiming homes in Detroit. But humans and nature don't always coexist so smoothly. At what point does the human-nature connection become a bad thing? Is it better to put animals in zoos so humans can appreciate them, or to leave them in the wild? Are we all getting along, or are humans doing more harm than good?

Ack! You should know my answer. Leave those animals alone in the wild. Humans are doing more harm then good! (Unless there's, like, an oil spill or something. Then you MUST transport all living things away from that.) They don't like being captive. Put yourself in the animal's shoes. (Or would that be paws?) Would you like someone staring at you all day? I know I wouldn't. People should just leave nature alone. A kid in my class (not to mention any names) wanted to get a worm out of his natural habitat, under dirt and under leaves. In the words of my science teacher, it would be like throwing you on a rocket and ejecting you into outer space.

submitted by Lili Z., age 10, Colorado Springs, CO
(April 15, 2010 - 7:56 pm)

Yeah, I'm replying to myself. Who cares? But I have something to say. Was my comment a cue for this big oil spill to happen in the Atlantic Ocean? I don't like this. Please make this a big thing and watch The Weather Channel. (It tells about the oil spill as much as the *gag* news. But don't watch that one Storm Stories about the fog.) It's horrifying to think, those poor poor animals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :C

submitted by Lili Z., age 10, Colorado Springs, CO
(May 8, 2010 - 8:56 pm)

Ack!! Oil spill is terrible!! All those poor animals!!

submitted by Caroline G, age 12, NC
(July 15, 2010 - 11:31 am)

Leave animals alone! Animals weren't made so we can watch them in zoos! It's one thing if we take them out of the wild to save them after an injury or from extiction but once they start to act normally they should be immediately put back into the wild! They don't deserve to sit in a cage their whole life!  

submitted by Athena, age 523524367..., Mount Olimpus
(April 19, 2010 - 2:10 pm)

yeah, after a few months or years animals should go back to the wilderness. but what if the animals are so used to being fed and trained that they aren't used to their habitat and die. 

submitted by erin m, age 10, vancouver.bc
(April 24, 2010 - 11:44 am)

Only animals that can't be in the wild should be put in cages! It's cruel! Recently I spent three hours hiding from my crazy aunt in my room and am not keen on cages at the moment!

submitted by Silver, age 13, ON
(April 25, 2010 - 5:53 pm)

I agree with keeping animals out of cages, but sometimes it's the only way to save them. Sometimes the only place an animal has left to go to is a cage. I hate that it has to come to that in the first place, and believe that we should be working more on trying to save the environment while its not too late.

submitted by Ruth C., age 13, Silver Spring, Maryland
(April 30, 2010 - 12:56 pm)

We should only interfere when the animals cannot take care of themselves (e.g. oil spills, injuries). Otherwise we should leave them alone.

In other words: What everyone else is saying.

submitted by Caroline G, age 11, NC
(April 30, 2010 - 3:35 pm)

I am a animal and I like humans.They feed you and pet you and play with you.....

submitted by Katie cat.B., age 3, I think., ummmmmmmmm, a city?
(September 4, 2010 - 9:37 am)

If humans went extinct, the rest of the world wouldn't care. Would be grateful, even.

submitted by Mango
(March 2, 2011 - 3:22 pm)