5.DoAnimalsCommunicate?
Whenwethinkofcommunication,wenormallythinkofusingwords-talkingface-to-face,writingmessagesandsoon.Butinfactwecommunicatefarmoreinotherways.Oureyesandfacialexpressionsusuallytellthetruthevenwhenourwordsdonot.
Thentherearegestures,oftenunconscious:raisingtheeyebrows,rubbingthenose,shruggingtheshoulders,tappingthefingers,noddingandshakingthehead.Thereisalsotheevenmoresubtlebody-languageofposture:areyousitting-orstanding-witharmsorlegscrossed?Isthatpersonstandingwithhandsinpockets,heldinfrontofthebodyorhiddenbehind?Eventhewaywedressandthecolourswewearcommunicatethingstoothers.
So,doanimalscommunicate?Notinwords,althoughaparrotmightbetrainedtorepeatwordsandphraseswhichitdoesntunderstand.But,aswehavelearnt,thereismoretocommunicationthanwords.
Takedogsforexample.Theybaretheirteethtowarn,wagtheirtailstowelcomeandstandfirm,withhairerect,tochallenge.Thesesignalsaresurelythecanineequivalentofthehumanbody-languageoffacialexpression,gestureandposture.
Colourcanbeimportantmeansofcommunicationforanimals.Manybirdsandfishchangecolour,forexample,toattractpartnersduringthematingseason.Andmatingitselfiscommonlyprecededbyaspecialdanceinwhichbothpartnersparticipate.
6.ShesAllfortheBirds!
Twiceaweek,58-year-oldMrs.WinifredCassshopsinthemarketforhermainsupplies,toppingupdailybycallingatlocalshopsonherwayhomefromwork.Butshesnotbuyingfamilygroceries!
Shereturnshomeladenwithheavybagsofmixedhencorn,pigeoncorn,peanutsandlargepacketsofbirdfoodtofeedherlargerfamily,thewildbirdsofLeeds.Andshesbeendoingthisfor16years.
Daily,shefeedsthebirdswhichfrequenthergarden,theareaaroundtheshopwheresheworkspart-time,andseveralpatchesofwaste-groundnearherhome.Then,twiceeveryweek,sheloadsthecarryingbasketwithbagsofgrainontohertricycleandsetsouttopedalthe20-nubyterudeyoutothecitycenter.
Inthemorning,birdsonmyownroofathomehangalmostupsidedowntryingtoseemethroughthewindows.Shelaughed.Insevereconditionslastwinter,Ihadasmanyasfourrobinsinmygardenatthesametime,thoughtheyrewellknowntobeterritorialbirds.
ItsamazinghowmanydifferentkindsofbirdsIseeinthecityitself.InparkSquare,aswellastheusualstarlings,pigeonsandsparrows,therearebluetits,greattits,thrushes,doves,andsometimesevenseagulls.
ItallstartedwhenWinifredwasworkingatacaf.Sheusedtothrowoutstalebreadandbuns,anddevelopedsuchaninterestinthewildbirdswhichacceptedherofferingsthatshestartedtakingfoodalongtothoseinCitySquareaswell.
Ononeoccasion,anoldladysittinginthesquareremarkedthatthebirdscoulddowithamorenutritiousdiet.SoWinifredbeganbuyingcornforthem.
Intheend,Iwascarryingsomuchweightandtrampingsofarthatmyfeelandarmsreallyached,shesaid.Itriedusingwheeledshoppers,butwiththeweightofallthatcorntheywerebreakingwithinweeks!SoIsplashedoutandboughtthistricycle.
Winifredhascomeacrossotherwild-lifeonhertravels,too.IstoptofeedfamiliesofhedgehogswhichIfoundatthesideoftherailwaynearthepark,shesaid.
Despiteherloveofbirds,shedneverwanttokeeponebecauseshecantbearseeingthemcaged.
Disasterstruckrecentlywhenacarreversedintoherparkedtrike,damagingitswheels.Buttwolocalbusinessmen,hearingofheractivities,decidedkindlytohelpbyreplacingthewheelsforher.
SonowtheBirdWomanofLeedsisbackinactionagain,doingthejobshelovesbest-caringforthehostoffeatheredfriendswhohavecometorelyonher.
7.TooManyPetsinFrance
InFranceacampaignhasbeenlaunchedtowarnagainstthedangerofathreateningover-population...ofpets!Thecountryisthesecondmostdenselypopulatedcountryintheworldasfarasdomesticanimalsareconcerned.Atthemomentitisinhabitedbymorethan81/2milliondogsandalmostasmanycats.EverysecondfamilyinParisownsoneormorepets,whichcauseproblemsofhygienethatcannotbesolved.Intheyear2000Francewillhavemorethan15milliondogsifnodrasticmeasuresaretakentostopthisincrease.
TheFrenchorganizationfortheprotectionofanimalshasappealedtotheownerstohavetheirdogsandcatsofbothsexessterilized,becausetheanimalsthemselvesareindangerofbecomingthefirstvictims.Everysummer,whentheholiday-exodusbegins,thousandsofdogsandcatsareabandoned,becausetheirowners,unabletotakethemalong,donotwanttoorcannotfindhomeswheretheirpetswillbelookedafterduringtheirabsence.Onlyoneofthreeoftherestrayanimalscanbeadopted,theothertwomustbekilled.
Agreatnumberofpet-owners,however,objecttosterilizationongroundsofinadmissiblecruelty.
8.PetsEatBetterThanPeople
MymouthwateredasIimaginedthelovelysoupIcouldmakefromsomebonesinthebutcherswindow.Therewasalotofmeatonthem,too.SoIwentinandboughtsome.Certainly,onepoundofbonesforyourdog,madam,saidthebutcherbrightly.Mynextstopwasatehfishshop,whereIaskedforsomecheapfish,Foryourcat?askedtheassistant.Asyoumayhaveguessed,neitherbonesnorfishwereforpets-theywereforme,apensioner.Butitmademethinkthatmanyanimalseatbettermealsthanpeople!
9.ABirthdayPresentforaDog!
WehaveafriendwhoworksinaDogParlourWheretheysellcoatsfordogs.Acustomer,choosingacoat,triedtodescribeherdogandthesaleswomansuggestedshebringthedoginsothattheycouldfithim.Horrified,thecustomerrepliedthatshecouldntdothatasitwasforthedogsbirthdaypresentandshedidntwanthimtoseeit!