I. M. Popper

Poet and freelance writer

July 23, 2009

1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?

All wildlife and the natural world is fascinating to me and I have spend much of my life observing wildlife, plants, and being in nature. The actual wildlife interactions I have had are of a chance nature. While I love those chance encounters, I try to avoid them and to retreat from them: I don't believe humans should regularly "interact" with wildlife; it always endangers the wildlife eventually (habituated animals live short, crummy lives.) We impose our thrill seeking needs or crazy ideas that the animals want or need to spend time around us and do not respect the animals' natures or needs. Animal Planet and a host of shows confuse kids and people with no experience of wildlife. Wolves are a major study and passion with me. Interactions with dogs and other domestic animals have been very important.

2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood? How about now??

Yes, many in my childhood and many now.

3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?

Too many to name.

4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?

Same old challenges: 1. Overcoming the natural sense of us/them about wildlife and nature--so we don't see wildlife’s needs as opposing our own. 2. understanding ourselves and our world 3. Approaching the clash of our needs and those of other creatures with a willingness to learn and with understanding and humility. Global warming, species extinctions come out of these problems.

5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?

We have to change our beliefs about humans relationship to the wild and our beliefs about the nature of wildlife. Curiosity, sensitivity, intuition, should come from the assumption that the wild world is greater than we are, and greater than our understanding, is mysterious, and full of things for us to learn about, so we should proceed with great respect and caution. Think creatively about it. Science is a great way in too. You mention religion--Christianity and most of the major world religions emphasize human ascendancy and superiority, even in the idea of stewardship. This has led to ignorance, blindness, and many human abuses of nature, wildlife, domestic animals too, (let alone of other humans). Throw those assumptions out.