Friday, March 30, 2012
Considering Brazil is covered largely by Amazonian jungle, rain forest, and much impenetrable tropical flora, it may come as a surprise to some to learn that Brazil doesn’t have many large animals. What is has in abundance though, is feet. Or more precisely creatures with more than two feet.
It is therefore to my utter disbelief and dismay how often I see domestic animals abandoned or neglected. This isn’t to suggest all Brazilians don’t care for animals, quite the contrary. There are some who have opened their homes and hearts to so many cat and dogs for example, particularly the most desperate ones. But it is the shear number of stray cats and dogs in poor health wandering the streets that often puts a tear in my otherwise dry eye. Just today on the drive up to Paraty (RJ) we saw four stray dogs and at least one cat on the roads, two of which were without the use of one of their back legs. Tragic.
That said, I am a hypocrite when it comes to bugs. Anything with more limbs than me doesn’t deserve to live if it come within swatting distance. It is not that I’m scared of bugs, but anything small enough to eat, defecate and regurgitate into my skin has no good reason to live, particularly if it leaves me or my wife itching all night.
I did have a certain respect for a mantis (correct me if I’m wrong) the other day. I saw it sitting on the wooden decking in our hotel, minding its business when I nearly stood on it. I realised what is was, so dashed back to our room to get my camera. I came back and to my amazement it hadn’t moved. I crouched down to get a good shot with the camera. It didn’t move much, perhaps a slight readjustment of its feet. So I put the camera down on the floor and lay down and put the camera into macro mode to get a close up (or at least as good a shot I could get with my small digital camera. Well I thought I was pushing my luck, thinking it would make a run for it and leap/fly away. Not a bit of it. Quite the contrary. The bloody thing came for the camera! Quite nonchalantly, it trotted towards the lens. I’m not sure if it thought of me as lunch, was a big poser, or just saw a reflection and was coming to investigate. Considering the type of eye mantis tend to have, I’m assuming it just saw movement and was big headed enough to want to investigate!!
Well, needless to say I have a slightly higher level of respect for that insect at least, and a cracking picture to boot.