The Relationship Between Humans and Animals

The relationship between humans and animals is complicated at best. When most people think of animals they think about pets or animals they own; one may also think about farm animals or livestock that they own as well. Some people might think of animals as a whole, including pets, wild animals, farm animals and livestock combined. In terms of the environment, lets reach out past the dog roaming around the back yard and think about the animals that depend on the earth for their survival.

When I think of wild animals, Alaska comes to mind and I ponder how the animals survive the frigid temperatures, survive one another as predators and how they survive the threat of humans. Alaska has plenty of wilderness and forest areas for several different species of animals to not only survive, but also to flourish. Animals that are native to Alaska that come to mind are bears, moose, elk, deer, caribou, and sheep. These animals are commonly found in the wilderness of Alaska and many people hunt the animals to use for food. The animals are part of the land and man rules the land and eats the animals; which has been going on for thousands of years. Human beings live off the earth; animals are eaten as food and we thrive as a society because the land, the earth, provides for us. Even though farming is big business, in some remote places such as Alaska, many of the people still live off of the land in a traditional sense.

What about the other animals? The other animals are those which inhabit Alaska’s coastline and swim in the icy cold waters that surround the state. There are fishermen that operate along the Alaska coast during fishing season and they take the resources from the ocean to feed their families or make a living; a way of life that seems natural. The way we treat the environment impacts all animals on the earth and in our water resources. As we abuse the land we endanger animals, yet we continue to abuse the earth and wonder why some species are...