The Serengeti has long been the land of my dreams. Though I may never visit in my lifetime, I have read and dreamed about this one last place in the world where the wild is still predominant, and man a small flyspeck on the landscape. Serengeti means "the place where the land moves on forever", the migratory route for more than a million wildebeeste and 200,000 zebra, where man has not - yet - encroached.
But not for long.
My heart sickened yesterday to read that a road is proposed straight through the migratory route, to the consternation of conservationists and UNESCO. The powers that be say the road is needed to ease access to certain minerals that are needed by China for use in cell phones, computers and other electronics.
Conservation spokespeople explain there is an alternate route which would avoid the migration, but the government stands firm on the proposed route and the project is set to go ahead, according to media sources in Tanzania.
Once the road is in, further development is sure to follow. Those speaking for the animals say that once animals begin to be hit by vehicles on the road, the government is going to want to build fences, which would stop the migration - a situation already experienced by reindeer in Canada's north.
I have so long dreamed of this one spot on the planet where the wild still lives, zebras crossing the land in staccatto like rippling piano keys, lions lying amber in the setting sun, a place where the land does, indeed, seem to go on forever and where man can feel his smallness, as a part of it, not its conqueror.
Is there no end to human voraciousness and corporate greed? It is hard to hang onto hope when every day brings more stories like this. We were given a beautiful, pristine, balanced planet to live on. And look what we have done to it.
The Serengeti of my dreams may turn into my worst nightmare. Such a loss. Such a lack of vision. In the name of that holy of holies, "development."
Sickening and disgusting, Sherry. I can barely wrap my head around the horror of interrupting the Serengeti migration. I heard of this yesterday but tried not to believe it.
ReplyDeleteThe Serengeti, the Great Rift Valley, and Olduvai Gorge have been my three dream places in Africa for decades.
I love your paragraph describing the zebras and lions. Now I think I'm just going to cry for a while.
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel
Africa has always been the focus of greed - for resources and man-power - and never so much as now, in the 21st Century, when the people of Africa have themselves fallen prey to the same demon named 'Plunder'and are basically out for as much as they can get. It's all so sad.
ReplyDeleteYou know Sherry for the past 200 years or, since we joined the machine/factory stage many humans have no longer worshiped God. Most of us in all countries seem to worship Money as their God and the more money someone has, the more they want. Greed drives this world now, always a greed for more. With the rate the arctic ice is melting we may not need to worry about a highway through the Serengeti Sherry because the world may just find it has a lot more important things on its mind then.
ReplyDeleteWe reap what we sow, god help the children and their children's children, because I dread to think what we are leaving them to inherit. Many humans are not humane at all, not anymore.
You only have to see how some treat animals abuse, use and mistreat them to see we are not that civillised even now.
Yes, this has made me sad too. It seems there is just not end to greed of the money men/women.
This is so disturbing and sad. There seems to be no limit to what human beings will sacrifice at the altar of greed. The day is sure to come when we suffer the consequences, and it will be too late. How many species are already gone forever? Too many.
ReplyDeleteHi, just to let you know I nominated you for this award:
ReplyDeleteVersatile Bloggers Award
I wonder about the notion of our evolution...
ReplyDeleteI wish the right authorities read this. Well, even if they don't the records will be there.
ReplyDelete"BRING BACK MY SERENGETI! BRING BACK OUR SERENGETI!"
So well expressed, Sherry.
ReplyDelete