Animal Rescue with Marion Garnett
Dedicated animal expert Marion Garnett, founder of the Ealing Animal Charities Fair, continues her column
AS WE stagger through our third lockdown, many of us are missing things we normally see or do. Each of us will have our own thoughts about what we particularly miss but, at least we know that, hopefully, once the pandemic is over, much of what has disappeared, will be back.
This isn’t the case for things that have gone for ever and there’s nowhere quite like a museum to remind us of this. Although, at present, we can’t go to the Natural History Museum in person, we can take part in what they are offering online. For example, we can cast our vote in the People’s Choice Category of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. Photos in this category are always stunning with some showing how animals are in danger of disappearing from our planet for ever.
One contender for the People’s Choice Award this year shows Sudan, the last male northern white rhino being comforted on his deathbed moments before he passed away. Another photo shows a bushfire raging in Australia leaving a trail of destruction in an area which is home to many endangered species. Fires are one of the biggest threats to this precious habitat. To view all 25 photos and vote, go to nhm.ac.uk.
Aware of disappearing wildlife, the museum is hosting a livestreamed concert on February 2 in aid of the Urban Nature Project.
This Project aims to transform the museum’s five acre grounds into a haven for nature which will protect and increase wildlife and biodiversity.
The concert will be based on the award-winning books “The Lost Words” and “The Lost Spells” by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris. These books were inspired by the realisation that it’s not just wildlife that’s being lost but that many associated words such as “otter” and “kingfisher” are disappearing from children’s lives as well. To register to see the online performance and receive up-to-date details, see nhm.ac.uk.
One of the authors, Robert Macfarlane, has written “We have to keep hoping, making this world a better place will be the work of many hands…We can do this; we can be good ancestors”.
One way we can be good ancestors is by playing our part in initiatives to halt the disappearance of wildlife. For example, in order to monitor any decline in bird numbers, on January 29-31, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is organising its annual Big Garden Birdwatch. I’ll give more details next week but hopefully many readers will take part.