Monthly Archives: November 2016

Shad enjoys watching the snow leopards

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Spring-watch, Harry Potter, Wonders of the Universe and Planet Earth are some of my favourite shows to watch on television.  So when John called me in from the kitchen last Sunday night as Planet Earth II was about to start, my little paws hurried across the lounge and I hopped on to my favourite end of the sofa, sniffing it furiously before turning around 3 times and adopting my front facing semi-alert crouch down posture.  John said it was snow leopard night and I was looking forward to watching these magical and highly elusive creatures in their natural environments.   Patterned with little black rosettes, the fur on their gorgeous smoky-grey coats is up to 5 inches thick, especially on their tails which they use to help them balance on the narrow ledges and rocky outcrops where they live.  They also place their long lush tails across their mouth and nose like a muffler to shield them from the harsh winds and snow of the Himalayas.  I’m not jealous!

I am always astounded at how animals manage to survive in the wild and snow leopards are no exception.  The cameras followed a female and her 2 year old daughter as they used every ounce of their stealth and stamina to find shelter against the harsh climate, avoid danger and hunt for food.  They feed on a variety of herbivores in their mountain range habitats and one goat can keep them going for 2 to 3 weeks.  Like many wild animals, they are on the brink of extinction with an estimated 6000 left roaming their territories thanks largely to human persecution, prey loss and habitat destruction.  Anyway this brave female had a fur-raising encounter with a larger male that involved   a lot of growling and snarling and swiping of paws, the male making his intentions clear and the female putting him in his place while keeping her daughter safe from harm.  I was on the edge of my seat during this aggressive meeting and quite frankly relieved when they all walked away unharmed.  It was the total opposite to the adorable mating ritual of the Wilsons bird who desperately wanted to impress a female he spotted looking down at him from a branch.  This little black bird of paradise suddenly flashed a bright green disc of feathers at the female in a courtship display that tickled my senses.  I wiggled my rear-end in excitement as the bird skipped and danced in front of his girl, flaunting his emerald cape and putting his heart and soul into his performance.  In case you’re wondering, he won the heart of his fair lady and did his duty to propagate the species.  Ah the wonders of the universe.

Shad ponders the poppies

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Today is Remembrance Sunday and across the country people are gathering together to commemorate the ceasing of hostilities between two armies, the Allies and the Germans at the end of the First World War.  The agreement took effect at 11o’clock on 11th November 1918 after 4 years of fighting and is now remembered as Armistice Day which marks a sign of respect for the many millions of people who died in this war and the loved ones they left behind.  Wars have started for different reasons including religion, revenge and racism, and through the eyes of a cat looking at the devastating effects of armed conflict I can’t think of a single valid reason to start a war.  But fighting over a difference of opinion or a claim for territory is not a unique feature of humanity.  Many creatures in the animal kingdom do it as part of evolutionary survival including us cats, present company excepted of course.  My neocortex is more developed than most felines leading me to prefer a battle of wits to a battle of arms!

Trafalgar Square Nov 2014

Despite the skilled methods humans use to wage war on each other, you also show extraordinary compassion towards those in need and great strength of character in difficult circumstances.  You have creativity, loyalty and courage, all qualities I see when I look at the faces of those depicted in the Battle of Britain Monument that John and I took pictures of during our trip to the London Eye.  This bronze and granite sculpture commemorates the military personnel who took part in the Battle of Britain during the Second World War and is situated along the Victorian Embankment of the River Thames.  It reminds me of the costs of war, like the bright red poppy which serves as a symbol of sadness and hope that one day all humans will live in harmony.   The Flanders poppies grew in the battle-scarred fields of Western Europe and flourished despite the landscape having been bombed again and again, providing inspiration for a poignant poem called ‘In Flanders Fields’.