馴化與被馴化

by Shelley Watson秋斯譯

馴化與被馴化

by Shelley Watson秋斯譯

To Tame or to Be Tamed?

據說九千多年前人類就開始馴化野生動物，將其變成家養動物，為人類所用。現代馴獸師、動物飼養員的工作聽起來很有趣，有時還給人一種“萌萌噠”的感覺，但背后也有鮮為人知的艱辛；據新聞報道，在這個崗位上失去生命的人也越來越多。究其根本原因，是人類對動物生存權利的過度剝削。當人民群眾受到的壓迫超越底線，他們就會揭竿而起，何況是不如人類理智的野獸，壓迫之下必然會有傷害人類的行為。

但是，野獸并非只有“野性”，就算是冷血動物也不都是“冷血”的，野獸也有感情，也有“社會”。經過馴化，長時間和人類相處，它們也能和人類溝通，讀懂人類的心情，明白人類社會的一些規則。人類在馴化野獸，和它們相處時，會有被傷害的危險，但同樣也會有各種感悟和感動，因為野獸其實比人類單純得多，至少他們沒有機關算盡的欺騙。人在馴化動物的過程中，其實也在被動物馴化——人會變得更加單純，更加意識到人性的優點，更加懂得抑制人性的弱點，在真善美的道路上走得更遠。

你愿意嘗試去馴化一種野性尚存的動物，也讓它馴化你嗎？

——Roza

象語者

大象是記憶力超強的動物，因此受到人類殘忍傷害的象會患上創傷后應激障礙（PTSD）。但是同樣地，大象也會記住人類給它的關愛和恩惠。野獸比人類單純得多，它們的世界里沒有虛偽，它們受到人類怎樣的對待，就會以同樣的態度去對待人類。

on 2nd March, 2012, Africa lost Lawrence Anthony, an ardent conservationist who died of a heart attack. He is perhaps known best as the Elephant Whisperer, but he was also a founder of the Earth Organization in 2003. He talked to Ugandan war rebels in the Congo, to protect the white1)rhinoceroses, he also fought to save crocodiles and other species.

In the mid 1990s, he bought one of South Africa’s largest private game reserves called2)Thula Thula. Elephants were not part of the plan, but in 1999, he was offered nine elephants and told should he not take this troublesome herd, they would be shot.

Unfortunately in the round up, one of the females and her baby was shot trying to evade capture. When the herd arrived, they had to be3)sedated until they calmed down. When the side door opened the4)matriarch emerged, followed by her baby bull, three females and an 11-yearold bull. Last off was the 15-year-old son of the female who was shot. He 5)fared his ears and with a 6)trumpet of rage he 7)charged, just stopping short of the fence.

2012年3月2日，勞倫斯·安東尼因心臟病發作去世，非洲就此失去了這位自然資源保護論者。……