Wierdosity off the scale, captain

[andrewducker]

Cheers to laserboy for sending me a link to this article about conservation efforts for the wierdest animals (i.e. those with the least close relatives).

Comments

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

I reserve a special hatred for vegetarians who won't eat "cute" animals but will eat others.

Object to the taste (game - a lot of people don't like the gamier meats) , the treatment of certain animals (veal), object for religious reasons to certain animals (pork, beef, whatever), object on health grounds (beef or chicken depending on the current media hype) but don't just object to (for example) rabbits because they're cute, but still eat pigs or cows. Objecting to dog, cat or even horse is more understandable, since that is very much a cultural thing. It is odd to eat those, coming from the culture that I do.... It's certainly not something I'd definitely say no to. I've eaten horse, and snail. And both tasted fine, though the texture of the latter was a bit weird.

I mean, objecting to eating a chunk of meat because of how it looked when it was alive seems weird to me. *shrug*

If you haven't, you should read "Evolution" by Stephen Baxter. It's one of the best books that I have ever, ever read.

[andrewducker]

Why, exactly, should I care about any particular animal? Is there a reason why I shouldn't prefer cute animals to non-cute ones?

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

Because then you're not a vegetarian, that was my point.

If you say you're a vegetarian, but you just pick and choose based on how cute they are, you're not a vegetarian. You're someone who eats meat.

[ninox.livejournal.com]

Amused by the cultural arguement. Some people see killing their pet for food a great honour. Others it is the cute attachment arguement that creeps back in. Why is there the problem with dogs over eating rabbit, guinea pig or vegans?

Ok maybe people don't eat vegans!

Will add Evolution to my to read backlog - thanks for the recommendation.

[andrewducker]

If I feel an emotional attachment to something then I don't want it being killed. Is that _really_ such a hard thing to understand?

I don't like spiders, and would happily see them eradicated from the planet. I like kittens, and wouldn't like bad things to happen to them. It's really not terribly complicated...

[ninox.livejournal.com]

No it isn't a hard thing to understand.

I own a guinea-pig & rabbit, I have eaten rabbit before and if in Peru I might consider eating guinea pigs. I would never consider stewing Bungee & Merlot, because of personal attachment.

It wasn't precisely what I was getting at. More having a whine that humans like playing god with species.

Why save one species over another?

Cuteness or should I say media image, to me doesn't seem the best or most logical way to decide a fate of a species; but in reality it very often does. I would prefer more balanced condsidered choice.

[laserboy.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I don't eat duck because I like ducks. I enjoy hand feeding them when I can, and personally wouldn't want to eat one.

Still, I'm a happy omnivore. Bring on the rest of the meat.