Animals in Fiction

An old copy of Aesop's Fables

For many years the public's knowledge of animals came from the stories they read in books.

My own treasured copy.

From Aesop’s “Lion and the Mouse” and Rudyard Kipling’s “Mowgli Brothers,” set in India telling the tale of a boy adopted by wolves, to Beatrice Potter’s gentle portrayal of farmyard animals.  In 2002 Yan Martel won the Booker Prize with “Life of Pi,” the strange tale of animals being transported by boat to new surroundings after a fire at their zoo, with all the terror of beasts in close proximity and the fear felt by the boy in charge of them.  Far fetched, perhaps, but convincing enough to win this prestigious award.

In this present day and age people travel the world much more easily and see animals in their natural environment. Television has familiarised us with animals of every size and shape - the last surviving Giant Tortoise in the Galapagos Islands, aptly named Lonesome George, had the sympathy of the world.
And yet the public still visit zoos in this country.                        

Two's Company

Family Outing

                                                                                 

Reflected Glory

Paignton Zoo is one such place, helping to save threatened species from extinction and return them to the wild.  In a hilly setting, shaded by trees they are cared for and bred. On my recent visit there, a zebra foal, only one day old was hidden from sight by its mother, while a four-month old giraffe walked with the others in the Devon sunshine

In the Reptile House brightly coloured birds flew freely between tanks of exotic snakes and crocodiles, while at the opposite side of the site, two magnificent Rhinos were obviously thriving.

Long may this last.

A Good Life