What the Gola rainforest teaches us about our place in nature
We've been talking a lot recently about our collaboration with Size of Wales to raise funds to help save Gola's natural paradise. In our previous post, I took a look at pygmy hippos, the elusive animals that help remind us of the diversity of Gola's wildlife.
That diversity is pretty staggering. The numbers alone give one part of the story. Nearly 50 species of large mammal, nine of which are threatened. More than 320 species of bird, with ten endangered. 43 species of amphibian. 140 species of dragonfly, 899 plants, more than 600 butterflies. The list goes on.
These numbers tell us one thing - how we feel about them tells us another. For most of us, the sheer abundance and variety of life in Gola, once we learn of it, is mind-boggling. Wondrous, even. Then there's the individual species themselves; look at the image of the white-necked Rockfowl, or Picathartes, below.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Like more than half the birds on the planet, it's a 'passerine', a set of birds characterised by their three toes, among other features. It has no feathers on its head, just yellow skin, and a long, graceful tail used for balance. The brilliant, contrasting colours and the large, dark eyes give the impression of an slightly alien creature, and at first glance it can seem slightly unreal.
And when we consider that this strange, almost otherworldly creature is just one of the thousands who rely on the Gola rainforest, it's hard not to feel a sense of wonder; a deep connection with the mysterious world of the animal kingdom, at once seemingly distant and intrinsically linked to our own lives.
This isn't just romanticisation - this sense of wonder plays an important role. It tells us we care, it reminds us that the natural world is part of our own. The fact that Gola is threatened reminds us that there's a reason we need to care. Human beings have an immense capability to destroy, but they also have the potential to protect and conserve. It's whether or not we care that tips the balance.
Helping to protect the Gola rainforest shows that we can choose the right path, and to use the sense of wonder that nature provides in abundance. Gola cannot simply be ignored; for us to understand the world we share with wildlife, we need to make sure it's still there. We need Gola.
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