Because nature isn’t linear, it’s only natural to expect there to be individuals and species which don’t quite fit into the little boxes we humans create for them. When these animals occur in the wild, their ability to span two worlds is a source of amazement to us. Who can deny what such individuals and species reveal about the fantastic potential inherent in even the lowest of life-forms? And who could can deny their appeal to us novelty-loving humans?
When such creatures so evolve to survive in their environments is one thing. But when animals wind up trapped between their worlds and ours simply to suit our purposes, well, that’s something else entirely.
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This podcast reminded me of a poem on Wolf Hybrids in Coppinger’s book. “Being of two kinds thus made, He, as his dam, from sheep drove wolves away, And, as his sire, he made them his own prey. Five years he liv’d, and cozen’d with his trade; Then, hopeless that his faults were hid, betray’d Himself by flight, and by all followed, From dogs, a wolf, from wolves, a dog, he fled, And, like a spy to both sides false, he perished.” “Metempsychosis,” verse 45, English poet John Donne
Thanks for reminding me of this poem, Joyce. So powerful and yet so poignant!