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North America: A Wildlife Mausoleum?
3 Oct
Summary
- North America is described as a 'wildlife mausoleum' due to species loss.
- Author Neil Griffin finds optimism amidst extinction in his new book.
- Buffalo have returned to Banff after a century of absence.
Writer and naturalist Neil Griffin has traveled extensively, from Rwanda to Honduras, documenting species on the brink of extinction. However, he found the most profound sense of loss closest to home in North America. Griffin describes the continent as an "animal mausoleum," noting the dramatic decline of wildlife over the last 150 to 200 years, impacting species like salmon, whales, buffalo, and caribou across plains, rivers, and oceans.
Griffin's new book, "Endings: Encounters with Extinction," explores these sobering realities. Despite the book's title, Griffin also identifies causes for hope. He suggests that every ending signifies a potential new beginning, a theme reflected in cultural myths about catastrophe and renewal. The reintroduction of wild buffalo in Banff, appearing for the first time in a century, serves as a powerful testament to nature's capacity for recovery and resilience.
