Perhaps better than the Piltdown or Big Foot analogies is the appearance of "fairy" photos in England in the early 20th century. Starting in 1904, A.M. Barrie's play "Peter Pan" had people readily clapping to keep a fairy, Tinkerbelle, alive. In 1917 when the world was increasingly industrialized, less spiritual and also at war, people produced photos of fairies in a British garden. They were accepted as real by many, including Arthur Conan Doyle who wrote a book about them.
Humans clearly want to believe in something beyond their disappointing deteriorating world and the year-long fantasy of IBWOs in the 21st century is coming to an end. It provided hope and optimism to a conservation community used to daily bad news. But sure, just like Kenn Kaufman I would dance in the streets if someone photographed one tomorrow. Hell, at this point I'd even clap if someone told me that would help keep the species alive.
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Let's all pause a moment. Calm down. There is no one, I am sure, on this blog that doesn't want the IBWO to be alive and well.
So, please, think of the Ivory-billed and think about how we can stop other species and maybe most importantly other habitats from going extinct.
Extinct? Yes. But re-dedicate our lives to conservation and making a differince.
Clap your hands and Tinkerbelle will live!!
Perhaps better than the Piltdown or Big Foot analogies is the appearance of "fairy" photos in England in the early 20th century. Starting in 1904, A.M. Barrie's play "Peter Pan" had people readily clapping to keep a fairy, Tinkerbelle, alive. In 1917 when the world was increasingly industrialized, less spiritual and also at war, people produced photos of fairies in a British garden. They were accepted as real by many, including Arthur Conan Doyle who wrote a book about them.
Humans clearly want to believe in something beyond their disappointing deteriorating world and the year-long fantasy of IBWOs in the 21st century is coming to an end. It provided hope and optimism to a conservation community used to daily bad news. But sure, just like Kenn Kaufman I would dance in the streets if someone photographed one tomorrow. Hell, at this point I'd even clap if someone told me that would help keep the species alive.
For what it's worth, it means science is alive and well, this is how it's done.
Tom: I wanted to send you a ping on this...
http://www.bootstrap-analysis.com/2006/03/sibleys_science.html
Extinct? Yes. But re-dedicate our lives to conservation and making a differince.
Destruction of the environment is inevitable as the human population continues to grow. Believing otherwise is the ultimate fantasy.
I say party like it's 1999.
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