Thursday, September 21, 2017

A Study of Wildlife at the Park

It's the web of life at work that keeps the balance;    
truly, silently, the wildlife is part of our lives.
Dr Abe V Rotor 


House sparrow (gurdiun) and Billit China, both of the finch family, share company as gleaners at Disneyland HK. Visitors, particularly children, are amused of their closeness to humans for food and shelter.  Surprisingly they have always remained wild, and resist domestication unlike other birds. They would rather die struggling when confined in cages. Mackie and Markus with their grandma Lima stroll on the feeding grounds of the park, Disneyland HK 2017. Photos by the author.  

Finches to which our maya and house sparrow belong,
are Nature's janitors like the janitor fish;
gleaners of food leftovers, and often beg in number, 
friendly but shy, eyeing at any risk. 

They follow man wherever he goes, his home is theirs;
 in parks, plazas, churches, marketplaces,
they are attractions themselves posing for photographs; 
Audubon studied their species and races.  

 Pavlov recorded their instinct as conditioned learning, 
key to survival. True they are here to stay. 
 in  relationship with humans called commensalism
in return sing with our peace, work and play. 

Tree lizard camouflaged, mimicking the color and texture of its immediate environment, a protective mechanism against predators on one hand, and in lurking for its own prey. Authors's family stroll on the park among trees and natural vegetation. First photo modified from Internet, other photos taken by the author. Disneyland HK 2017  

Reptiles today are older, outlived the dinosaurs, 
What made them survive the Meteor's blast?
Wonder if being small is advantage after all;  
If so, insects, other minutiae are here to last.

Walk pass through, you think the way is clear,
Unseen they mimic the trees, rocks, their abode,
Silence too, is their weapon save the Gecko,
Beware when trespassing into their threshold.

They are Nature's biological agents in science,
Friends of farmers, gardeners and housewives;
     It's the web of life at work that keeps the balance;    
Truly, silently, reptiles are part of our lives.~


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