Both occasions I’ve spent time at my reflection spot in the gazebo, the lake’s ducks have made their way over to me in the hope that I brought some food and the intention to share it with me. It seems as if the gazebo is a popular spot to feed the ducks, so much so that they’ve come to associate a person in the gazebo with the opportunity for a handout. I pondered this behavior for a while, and wondered how long it had been developing. It reminded me of Ralph White’s detailed description of blue heron mating behaviors when we spoke with him by the James. Here was a behavior that the species does completely naturally. It is a part of the blue heron identity, just as bighorn sheep butt heads during mating season and wolves circle the ground a few times before lying down to sleep.
The impact humans have made on animal behavior is evident nearly everywhere. Squirrels on campus are extremely tolerant of the presence of people, and are brave enough invade trash cans in busy areas for some food. The geese let you walk directly past them. Raccoons have little fear of humans as well. The general population seems to promote the altering of animal behavior as a whole. Isn’t the entire culture of pets about animal domestication? Animal trainers make a ton of money through their ability to mold an animal’s behavior into something acceptable to its owners. And it seems as if the more “wild” and “exotic” the animal, the more entertaining and interesting it is to see them follow orders from humans. SeaWorld, circuses and zoos are proof of that. Wow, look at that bloodthirsty lion jump through the flaming hoop! The alteration of animal behavior is a multi-million dollar industry.
Obviously I’ve digressed from my original duck discussion, but in a way my experience with the ducks is similar to the circus. The ducks move to the gazebo when somebody is there because of the promise of reward of food. The lion jumps through the flaming hoop because either he will be fed a juicy steak, or he’s scared of the consequences of disobeying. It was amazing to hear the detailed description of the blue heron mating ritual because it was so pure and so unique. I loved that part of the trip.