Our Ainimals Of Yore...
The wolf holds a special position in world chronicles
, appearing in the
Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh.
In
Norse mythology,
the wolf is represented as the warrior Fenrir who causes havoc. The depiction of
she-wolves is quite different though
— the Turkish legend of
Arsena
sees one nursing an injured child while
Romulus and Remus
, the founders of Rome, were raised in legend by a
tough but tender wolf-mom
The
eagle
, admired for its powerful, soaring flight, was considered both a form and messenger of Zeus, king of gods, in
Greek lore
.
The Romans placed the 'aquila' on the Roman Legions' standard
, carried to battle by 'aquilifers' —
the Silchester Eagle
, a prized bronze sculpture of this bird, was found near Reading in Calleva Atrebatum, a town in
the Roman road system
. With its imperial ambitions,
America's
adopted it, often remarking,
'The eagle has landed'
In India, the tiger represents incredible courage
— it is the carrier of divinities while in
Korea
, tigers
bring good luck
. Western culture has seen tigers as terrifying — think
Sher Khan in 'The Jungle Book'
— or playthings like
Tigger in 'Winnie the Pooh'
. While First Nations consider the
Amur tiger of Siberia as divine
, these were later seen as vengeful beings, despite the poaching that's made them
endangered
Research: National Geographic, BBC, Smithsonian Magazine
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Indian Express
2 days ago
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Pune's Mirza Ghalib Road: A forgotten ode to the great Urdu poet
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Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Our Ainimals Of Yore...
The past holds stories of people — and animals. The wolf holds a special position in world chronicles , appearing in the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh. In Norse mythology, the wolf is represented as the warrior Fenrir who causes havoc. The depiction of she-wolves is quite different though — the Turkish legend of Arsena sees one nursing an injured child while Romulus and Remus , the founders of Rome, were raised in legend by a tough but tender wolf-mom The eagle , admired for its powerful, soaring flight, was considered both a form and messenger of Zeus, king of gods, in Greek lore . The Romans placed the 'aquila' on the Roman Legions' standard , carried to battle by 'aquilifers' — the Silchester Eagle , a prized bronze sculpture of this bird, was found near Reading in Calleva Atrebatum, a town in the Roman road system . With its imperial ambitions, America's adopted it, often remarking, 'The eagle has landed' In India, the tiger represents incredible courage — it is the carrier of divinities while in Korea , tigers bring good luck . Western culture has seen tigers as terrifying — think Sher Khan in 'The Jungle Book' — or playthings like Tigger in 'Winnie the Pooh' . While First Nations consider the Amur tiger of Siberia as divine , these were later seen as vengeful beings, despite the poaching that's made them endangered Research: National Geographic, BBC, Smithsonian Magazine
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
Protests erupt after Germany zoo culls 12 baboons, feeds them to predators; 7 arrested
A zoo in Nuremberg, Germany, is facing mounting backlash after confirming that it had culled 12 healthy Guinea baboons due to overcrowding in their enclosure. The animals were subsequently fed to the zoo's predators, sparking protests and legal action from animal rights groups. The Tiergarten Nürnberg zoo said the decision was made as the baboon population had grown beyond capacity, leading to an 'increase in conflicts' among the primates. No viable alternative for re-housing the animals could be found, according to the zoo. The Guinea baboon enclosure, completed in 2009, was designed to house a maximum of 25 animals. However, the population had exceeded 40 in recent years, a BBC report said. The zoo had initially announced plans to reduce the baboon population last year. It also stated that other zoos that had previously accepted baboons had reached full capacity, and that contraception efforts had failed to control breeding. Zoo director Dag Encke defended the decision, saying it followed 'yearslong consideration' and met the standards set by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Encke said that culling can be 'a legitimate last resort to preserve the population', the BBC report quoted Encke as saying. The baboons that were killed were not pregnant females nor involved in any scientific studies, the report confirmed. The animals were shot, samples were taken for research, and their carcasses were then used as food for other zoo predators. The move prompted immediate backlash. On Tuesday morning, the zoo temporarily closed for 'operational reasons,' which triggered protests. Seven animal rights activists were arrested after climbing over the zoo's fence. One woman glued her hands to the ground near the entrance in protest. Animal rights organisations have condemned the zoo's actions. A spokesperson for Pro Wildlife called the decision 'avoidable and illegal.' The BBC report quoted the spokesperson as saying, 'Healthy animals had to be killed because the zoo maintained irresponsible and unsustainable breeding policies for decades.' The incident has renewed scrutiny on European zoos, which have previously faced criticism for culling animals.
