top of page
Search

The instinctive behavior of wild animals

Writer: --


The instinctive behavior of wild animals is fundamentally driven by “avidyā” (ignorance). Human feeding can amplify this innate craving. When animals become reliant on human food, their foraging instincts are distorted, naturally leading to frustration and aggression (e.g., fighting over food, attacking) born from unmet desires (*trsnā* - craving). This can even escalate to ecological imbalances due to overpopulation, resulting in impermanent killing karma (*anicca-karma*).  This chain of cause and effect demonstrates how well-intentioned actions, lacking insight into natural laws, can inadvertently become agents of karmic ignorance.


Many people simplify "compassion" into emotional projection (such as anthropomorphizing animals), overlooking the fact that the essence of wild animal survival lies within their natural habitat. Interference through processed food, residual scents, and habitat encroachment disrupts the delicate balance of the ecosystem they inhabit. Humans and the environment are inherently interconnected; forced intervention severs this symbiotic relationship, sowing the seeds of further ignorance and karmic consequences.


True compassion respects natural laws and the inherent way of life of all beings.  It means refraining from intervention, control, and the imposition of human will. Wild animals have their own survival mechanisms; their "greed, hatred, and delusion" (*lobha, dosa, moha*) are part of natural selection, which we have no right to judge or interfere with.  The speaker pauses, a look of deep contemplation crossing their face.


Human "good deeds" often stem from a need to satisfy our own sense of moral superiority rather than genuine compassion. True compassion lies in relinquishing the "self," abandoning discriminatory thinking, and releasing the desire to control nature. A gentle smile forms as the speaker continues.  Let nature be nature; let life be life.


Our role should be to protect their habitats and minimize the impact of human activities. Non-interference is the greatest compassion. Non-intervention is the greatest act of kindness.

True compassion is a deep understanding of, respect for, and harmonious coexistence with nature. It is not about fulfilling our own ignorance or creating new imbalances and karmic debts in the name of love. The speaker's voice takes on a tone of urgency.


The conservation model of the Congo Basin forests offers a new paradigm. Through high-precision satellite monitoring and a network of vibration sensors, rangers can prevent poaching without entering the core area. This "zero-contact monitoring" has led to a 27% increase in the lowland gorilla population over a decade. While seemingly positive, this rapid population rebound after a period of decline highlights the complex and often unforeseen karmic consequences influencing the birth and death cycles within the ecosystem.


Every species extinction contributes to the karmic chain leading towards human extinction. The speaker's voice becomes grave, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all life.


Species extinction is a reflection of universal entropy playing out at the biological level.  The true solution lies not in delaying the rate of extinction, but in restructuring the fundamental logic of civilization’s existence:  transforming from carbon-based dictators to ecological observers and recorders. This requires us to accept the "observer effect" of civilization – acknowledging that humanity is simultaneously both destroyer and guardian of the ecosystem. The speaker's gaze becomes distant, as if pondering the vastness of the challenge.

 
 
 

Comentarios


CONTACT

Thanks for submitting!

  • YouTube Social  Icon
  • Facebook Social Icon
  • LinkedIn Social Icon

© 2019 Victor M Fontane.

bottom of page