Humans and Penguins

Two Sides of a Relationship

There are two sides to the issue of humans and penguins. On one side you have those humans that are responsible for the purposeful destruction of penguins for their own gain. On the other you have those that are fighting to protect them. It is necessary for humans to find a good balance with penguins though so that the overall nature of things in our world isn’t upset. Too many people don’t realize that as the number of penguins out there drops, so do their chances of making a successful come back.

Humans have been destroying penguins for many reasons. More than 100 years ago it was because they often hunted these birds for food. Then they would use the oil from their tails as a resource as well. Since other non animal materials are now used to make such oil, it isn’t necessary any more to use them for such a purpose. Hunting them continues today but more for sport than as a means of survival most of them time.

Conservation efforts have been successful in getting laws passed that prevent the harm or killing of penguins. Yet we all know that too often such laws are ignored. People continue to destroy penguins under the radar for their own use. It may be simply that they want to remove them from the location they are in so they can use the land for their own business and needs.

Many organizations out there strive to protect penguins. These humans spend their time and their money to be able to successfully help them to survive. They educate others on the needs of penguins and what has been done to them. They lobby for laws to be strictly enforced when it comes to the destruction of penguins. This includes both jail time and hefty fines for those that refuse to follow the law.

These volunteers are key to the survival of penguins in many other ways too. For example they offer their help when there is an imminent threat to a colony of them. This can be due to a natural disaster or even chemicals being spilled into the waters where they hunt for prey. Such interventions ensure that these problems don’t have as harsh of an effect on the entire penguin population as it otherwise would.

There are some organizations that have helped to move penguins into captivity. Their goal is to help them to thrive in an environment that is as similar to the wild as they can get it. This way they have a chance to live without outside threats from humans or other predators. They keep a watchful eye on how these penguins live and they step in when needed to help them with their young or other needs so that they can live very long lives.

There are many humans though that feel nature should take care of itself. They don’t feel that penguins should be kept in captivity. While they don’t think humans should destroy them, they feel that they should be left to fend for themselves. They feel that observing penguins in their natural environment and even filming them is acceptable. Yet they also feel that stepping in to assist them is also a way to upset the balance of things in nature.

If you haven’t given the issue of humans and penguins much thought, hopefully this article opened your eyes to some things. You have the choice to take action now and to help these birds to survive. Since they aren’t a threat in any way to humans there is really no reason to continue destroying them that isn’t selfish in nature. Regardless of what your choices have been in the past you have the choice to make a difference now.