Endoh’s Dungeon

It’s hard to imagine the possibility that by the end of this century, we will most probably be looking at Polar cakes instead of polar bears. Just take a look at the pictures, the white beauty (that’s what I called the polar bears and the snowscape) has been transformed into a white porcelain stained with mud.

Is this how a polar bear environment should look like? I definitely don’t think so. I would still very much prefer to watch a polar bear standing up on his hind legs and suddenly dive deep into the thick snow with its front paws. Being pulled out, is a well earned meal which its scent was picked up by the polar bear miles away. If you watch Animal Planet enough, you would agree with me, that such a hunting sight is extremely beautiful.

Did anyone actually anticipated many years ago, that industrialization and such would bring about so much harm to our environment? I guess not, since most of mankind was more keen on the profits and advancement, that nature was not part of the agenda. Perhaps someone did put up a challenge, but given the economic boom since WW2… such an effort would have been in vain.

Now, mankind are beginning to see the effects of global warming for real. Polar bears are looking at shorter frames of snow and sea ice, an environment that they have evolved to survive best within. Even when the snow and sea ice arrive, they are looking at much smaller icy grounds that they used to roam 50 years ago. Sometimes, I wondered what the polar bears are feeling inside. Perhaps they are saying, “Damn you humans… a bunch of selfish… -fill in the blank with whatever vulgarities you like- !!!”.

I can’t help it but feel the earth could be deteriorating much faster than what our scientists and governments are telling us. Being their usual self, any forms of threat are often downplayed. A possibility in the next 100 years could come in the next 50 years. A prediction in the next 50 years could come in less than 20 years. How long more can these polar bears hang on to such effects of mankind’s doings? We’re talking about polar bears solely here, and there’s thousands of other animals which are also in the eco-system suffering from global warming.

No doubt conservation efforts are being conducted worldwide now, the pessimist in me questions… is it too late? It is fortunate that conservation works are underway but I believe we can never return to the good old days. The effects are long term and certain eco-cycles cannot be reversed.

Even as I speak (write) now, dozens of adventure agencies and towns are invading the natural habitat of polar bears. There’s this adventure tour operator that has a fleet of ice-breaking ships bringing tourists close to the elephant seals and polar bears, under the facade of nature exploration. There’s also another town between North Pole and Europe, that encourages its population to bring a rifle with them should they leave home. Isn’t it weird that the animals we are endangering are seen as dangerous animals?

Which is more dangerous? An animal exercising its natural instinct which humans are fully aware of when invading their habitats? Or an average joe walking on the street with a full loaded rifle hung on his back?

In a deep corner of my heart, I am beginning to accept reality that the scene of a white polar bear against the backdrop of a vast land of ice, will vanish sooner than expected eventually. That also means the extinction of polar bears, given the high hunting rate for its fur.

Once in a while, I hear on documentaries of how polar bears are “invading” the properties of residents. Who’s the actual invaders, I wondered again. Polar bears or humans? Yet, polar bears are not only suffering from global warming directly but also being gunned down one by one. I am beginning to feel that a wildlife museum will be big business in the years to come. Why not, when the various species of the animals are slowly going extinct? In future, our children will probably be looking at pictorials instead.

It’s such a pity…