Leseprobe
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Four Fifths a Grizzly
Douglas Chadwick
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Ratgeber / Natur
Beschreibung
What do you think of when you think of Nature? Prolific author and National Geographic writer Doug Chadwick’s fresh look at human’s place in the natural world. In his accessible and engaging style, Chadwick approaches the subject from a scientific angle, with the underlying message that from the perspective of DNA humans are not all that different from any other creature. He begins by showing the surprisingly close relationship between human DNA and that of grizzly bears, with whom we share 80 percent of our DNA. We are 60 percent similar to a salmon, 40 percent the same as many insects, and 24 percent of our genes match those of a wine grape. He reflects on the value of exposure to nature on human biochemistry and mentality, that we are not that far removed from our ancestors who lived closer to nature. He highlights examples of animals using “human” traits, such as tools and play. He ends the book with two examples of the healing benefits of turning closer to nature: island biogeography and the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. This book is a reflection on man’s rightful place in the ecological universe. Using personal stories, recounting how he came to love and depend on the Great Outdoors and how he learned his place in the system of Nature, Chadwick challenges anyone to consider whether they are separate from or part of nature. The answer is obvious, that we are an indivisible from all elements of a system that is greater than ourselves and should never be neglected, taken advantage of, or exploited. This is a fresh and engaging take on man’s relationship to nature by a respected and experienced author.
Rezensionen
<p>Everything is connected, says wildlife journalist Douglas Chadwick in <i>Four Fifths a Grizzly</i>. From the minuscule to the large scale, the book explores how knowledge of these connections can help us to reverse the land degradation and species decline that result from human interventions in the wild. </p> <p>95% of Earth’s biomass is comprised of humans and their livestock, and Chadwick says that paying attention is a good way to begin when it comes to redressing the species imbalance. As a child, he was fascinated by microscopy. Now, in his spare time, he watches grizzlies. Learning that humans share 80–90% of their genes with the bears, which only thrive in wilderness, convinced him of the interdependence of creatures and habitats. He highlights such symbiotic bonds with examples, as of bacterial species, who populate the human gut and aid in digestion. </p> <p>Any realistic look at the state of the planet must be depressing, right? Wrong. Chadwick lightens the tone by focusing on conservation success stories, such as island populations that were restored by eradicating invasive species, and the joined-up landscape achieved by the Yukon to Yellowstone project. “Being one with nature sounds like an aspiration. It really isn’t, because we already are,” Chadwick concludes. Drawing on memories, stories, and rich visuals, <i>Four Fifths a Grizzly</i> reinforces humanity’s fundamental relationship with, and reliance on, nature.</p>
<p>A noted wildlife biologist ponders what it means to be human in a time when the natural world is disappearing. </p> <p>“I don’t claim to know how grizzly bears think. But this seldom stops me from trying to imagine what the bear I have in sight is going to do in a given situation and then compare that with what the bear actually does.” So writes Chadwick, who has spent many hours in the company of bears, which are cumbersomely large in captivity but generally lean, and very fast, in the wild. Somewhat in the vein of previous environmental writers, Rachel Carson and Loren Eiseley in particular, Chadwick has a big-picture view of nature, recounting his childhood days spent with a microscope, “his magical gadget,” which afforded him the knowledge that most organisms on the planet can’t be seen but must be appreciated. In his subsequent explorations of DNA, he connects us to our genetic antecedents—grizzly bears and apes, to be sure, but also “avocados, ants, and aardvarks,” which comprise “our deep heritage, an old, enduring kinship as big as the living world.” That shared ancestry ought to inspire us to be better citizens of the planet. Yet, “according to a 2018 summary in the Journal of Mammalogy, the exact species count for present-day mammals came to 6,495. However, 96 appear to have gone missing (extinct) lately.” Regarding many nonhuman species in the Anthropocene, “the chances of survival through the rest of this century range from poor to zilch.” Engagingly written and richly illustrated with vivid photos, the book offers the hope nonetheless that humans might reverse course. To this end, the author offers examples of successful recoveries of species and habitats, with the thought that “we really can save a whole lot in a hurry.” </p> <p>Of great appeal to natural scientists and environmentalists alike.</p>
