"The Thing With Feathers"

First off, to answer Rachael’s question, if I were to see a bird that I thought was extinct or even endangered, I probably wouldn't report it. But I wouldn't refrain from reporting to avoid doubt, I wouldn't report because I would doubt myself. I would probably take pictures and look into it on my own, but unless I knew for sure that that’s what it was then I wouldn't say anything. But also, I think about what we talked about in class on Monday, that Eckleberry may have seen a mating pair and didn't tell anyone (may not be true, but it’s a thought). I think that if I saw a pair like that and knew that they might be the last pair in existence, I would want to keep it to myself. I wouldn't want to be the reason that they were exposed to humans. In response specifically to the article that we read for today, I loved the way that it began. It was intriguing because when you think of a species going extinct, you never think of their “thoughts” so to speak, when they are struggling to find somewhere to live; which is of course, all of the human destruction. I also liked the way that there were direct quotes throughout the article. It brought the researchers to life, the people that really searched for these birds. One of the quotes that really struck me was: "To be honest," he added, "I have somewhat let go of the need to see the bird again myself. Seeing it's not nearly as important as restoring the habitat. If we give him a place to live, he can take care of himself. It doesn't matter whether we know where he is or not."even when it was believed that they were gone”. I think that is so true. We focus so much on seeing these rare animals, when we should be working to fix the problem that makes them so rare in the first place.