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A REEL TO MOURN
Just imagine…. that you are the last male of the human race and you are singing for a female who will never come!
An instagram reel that popped up while I was sliding through the contents casually moved my heart.
The caption of the reel goes like this: “The last call of a Kaua'i'o'o bird recorded in 1987 before going extinct. This was the last male left”.
The short reel shows a small bird perched on the high branches of a tree singing hopefully, in his melodious voice for a mate. Of course the reel is not that clear since Iphones were not yet available in the market. But no music played by modern technology can ever match the voice of that bird we will never see.
The Kaua'i’o'o Bird
Kaua'i' o'o bird(Moho braccatus) was a class of honeyeaters that once thrived in the Hawaiian Islands. The whole family of these birds are now extinct. It's no wonder to hear about a species getting extinct in Hawaii because the island on the whole is reputedly known as the ‘extinction capital of the world’.
The main reasons cited for the extinction of the species was habitat destruction, introduction of predators like rats, mongoose and pigs and various diseases.
The actual video of the last bird was shot by researchers of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology back in 1987.
Extinctions: A World-Wide Phenomenon
As per studies, 5 mass extinctions had already taken place on the Earth. At present, the phases of the 6th mass extinction titled the ‘Holocene Extinction’ is in progress. The main factor that makes this phase unique is the fact that this phase is induced and accelerated by human activities. It has been estimated that it takes millions of years for the planet to recover from each mass extinction and the impact of each also varies and depends on a multitude of factors.
Can We Prevent Extinctions?
The answer can be either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. The answer can be ‘yes’ if each and every one on this planet can think outside the box and find the time to look around for a while.
Looking around doesn’t imply planting a sapling at home and buying an expensive set of wooden furniture the next day inspired by the beauty of the wood. Looking around also doesn’t mean taking a vacation in the woods with friends only to return to your job and household chores after a week with a set of reels and pictures to post on social media.
What looking around implies is this…. Admiring nature and at the same time realising its greatness. This realisation will inspire one to protect, nurture and care for the nature and living things around you and not inspire you to make huge towers and furnishings for selfish needs.
The answer can be ‘no’ when no one knows what fate is. If a person is destined to die in the next second, he/she will surely die no matter how much a doctor tries. Even the doctor has to die one day. Death is a bitter inevitable truth. Since that is the case, no matter how much we try to conserve and protect, if it's written in the heavens that a species has to become extinct then we are all powerless.
So, what can be done?
How To Prevent Extinction?
All we can do is try. Just like I felt motivated to write down these words, a small step can go a long way. Little steps lead to bigger achievements and if humanity is destined to be a saviour of this planet, then so will it be!
Awareness campaigns can go a long way in saving a few species. At least the new generation will get some time to look around if their classes include Environmental Studies as a meaningful and interesting subject.
Films, documentaries and similar steps too will prove beneficial in the long run.
An environmental film named ‘The Last Voice of Kauai’(2022) based on this heart-touching video directed by Hanah Cincotta is a similar one. The director herself was inspired to make this film based on a documentary that came out in 2015 featuring the video.
As for the global leaders, Global Warming itself is the right motivational asset!
Conclusion
The reel ends with the words of the observer as follows: “That's the last male of the species, singing for a female, who will never come”.
I felt that no further concluding words would be necessary.
© Anjali Krishnan
An instagram reel that popped up while I was sliding through the contents casually moved my heart.
The caption of the reel goes like this: “The last call of a Kaua'i'o'o bird recorded in 1987 before going extinct. This was the last male left”.
The short reel shows a small bird perched on the high branches of a tree singing hopefully, in his melodious voice for a mate. Of course the reel is not that clear since Iphones were not yet available in the market. But no music played by modern technology can ever match the voice of that bird we will never see.
The Kaua'i’o'o Bird
Kaua'i' o'o bird(Moho braccatus) was a class of honeyeaters that once thrived in the Hawaiian Islands. The whole family of these birds are now extinct. It's no wonder to hear about a species getting extinct in Hawaii because the island on the whole is reputedly known as the ‘extinction capital of the world’.
The main reasons cited for the extinction of the species was habitat destruction, introduction of predators like rats, mongoose and pigs and various diseases.
The actual video of the last bird was shot by researchers of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology back in 1987.
Extinctions: A World-Wide Phenomenon
As per studies, 5 mass extinctions had already taken place on the Earth. At present, the phases of the 6th mass extinction titled the ‘Holocene Extinction’ is in progress. The main factor that makes this phase unique is the fact that this phase is induced and accelerated by human activities. It has been estimated that it takes millions of years for the planet to recover from each mass extinction and the impact of each also varies and depends on a multitude of factors.
Can We Prevent Extinctions?
The answer can be either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. The answer can be ‘yes’ if each and every one on this planet can think outside the box and find the time to look around for a while.
Looking around doesn’t imply planting a sapling at home and buying an expensive set of wooden furniture the next day inspired by the beauty of the wood. Looking around also doesn’t mean taking a vacation in the woods with friends only to return to your job and household chores after a week with a set of reels and pictures to post on social media.
What looking around implies is this…. Admiring nature and at the same time realising its greatness. This realisation will inspire one to protect, nurture and care for the nature and living things around you and not inspire you to make huge towers and furnishings for selfish needs.
The answer can be ‘no’ when no one knows what fate is. If a person is destined to die in the next second, he/she will surely die no matter how much a doctor tries. Even the doctor has to die one day. Death is a bitter inevitable truth. Since that is the case, no matter how much we try to conserve and protect, if it's written in the heavens that a species has to become extinct then we are all powerless.
So, what can be done?
How To Prevent Extinction?
All we can do is try. Just like I felt motivated to write down these words, a small step can go a long way. Little steps lead to bigger achievements and if humanity is destined to be a saviour of this planet, then so will it be!
Awareness campaigns can go a long way in saving a few species. At least the new generation will get some time to look around if their classes include Environmental Studies as a meaningful and interesting subject.
Films, documentaries and similar steps too will prove beneficial in the long run.
An environmental film named ‘The Last Voice of Kauai’(2022) based on this heart-touching video directed by Hanah Cincotta is a similar one. The director herself was inspired to make this film based on a documentary that came out in 2015 featuring the video.
As for the global leaders, Global Warming itself is the right motivational asset!
Conclusion
The reel ends with the words of the observer as follows: “That's the last male of the species, singing for a female, who will never come”.
I felt that no further concluding words would be necessary.
© Anjali Krishnan
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