| Throughout history, no species has ever been as | | | | had to have magical powers? Some of us fell in love |
| fascinated with its fellow creatures as human beings. | | | | with the expressive beauty of horses, some of us |
| We have hunted animals, eaten them, raised them, | | | | with bizarre and outlandish animals like elephants and |
| bred them, domesticated them, drawn them, | | | | giraffes, and some of us with powerful hunters like |
| composed songs and poetry about them, and loved | | | | lions or wolves. We've always secretly wondered |
| them for millennia. But why? What is behind this | | | | what it would be like to run like a cheetah, fly like an |
| intense fascination we've always had with other | | | | eagle, swing like a monkey, or swim like a dolphin. |
| creatures, whether fuzzy and cute or scary and | | | | From the biggest whales to the tiniest amoebas, |
| dangerous-or both? | | | | animals have always filled us with a sense of wonder. |
| The thrill. Nothing compares with the thrill you get | | | | And with their physical abilities often far beyond ours, |
| when you see a big animal in its natural environment | | | | animals really do have special powers. As a species, |
| for the first time. We love the excitement of | | | | animals have inspired us to learn to fly in planes and |
| encountering bears, big cats, deer, eagles, owls, and | | | | go under the sea in submarines-but we can never do |
| other herbivores and predators. Even though it's | | | | it with the grace of a bird or a fish. Maybe that's |
| ill-advised to do this in the wild, we love to watch | | | | why so many people care about protecting animals |
| them unseen, our breath caught in our throats and | | | | from pollution and poaching. If we lost the great |
| our hearts filled with wonder. Just seeing the majesty | | | | variety of animal species on our planet, we'd kill |
| and power of these remarkable creatures once can | | | | humanity's sense of wonder and inspiration, as well. |
| be a life-changing experience. Another thing that | | | | Making a connection. So many of us have loved a |
| makes an encounter with a large animal in the wild so | | | | pet-whether a dog, a cat, a horse, a parakeet, or a |
| memorable is the fact that it's so rare-very few | | | | hamster. Anyone who's ever owned a pet will tell |
| people have the privilege of encountering these | | | | you that animals have feelings and emotions, their |
| animals anywhere, let alone in the wild. We love to | | | | own intelligence, and their own way of |
| go to zoos to see big animals we'd never see in the | | | | communicating-and that they experienced a strong |
| wild, from a safe vantage point behind glass or bars. | | | | emotional connection with their pet. We love that |
| Even seeing them in captivity can give us the same | | | | connection we have with our pets, and many of us |
| sense of excitement. | | | | believe it's possible to foster a connection with any |
| Curiosity. What do animals do when we're not | | | | animal, no matter how different from us. We dream |
| looking? How do they behave when they're happy, | | | | of forging bonds with lions and tigers, getting to |
| sad, scared, angry, or hungry? How do they hunt, | | | | know monkeys and horses, and communicating with |
| what do they eat, and what can they teach us | | | | dolphins and whales. We love when a fierce bird of |
| about being alive? So many of us are thirsty for | | | | prey lands on our arm without hesitation, when a cat |
| knowledge about animals and their lives. We want to | | | | cuddles trustingly in our laps, when a horse nickers to |
| know how they're similar from us and how they're | | | | us like he's greeting an old friend. Many animal-lovers |
| different. Maybe if we knew all there is to know | | | | will tell you that animals make wonderful friends-they |
| about other animals, we could better understand | | | | don't lie, they don't judge, and they don't hate. No |
| ourselves as a species-and have a clearer picture of | | | | matter your reason for craving that connection with |
| where we came from. We love zoos and other | | | | an animal, most in our species do. When we're |
| animal facilities for the opportunity they give us to | | | | communicating with an animal, we humans feel less |
| learn about animals and see them close-up-some zoos | | | | alone. |
| even let you shadow a zookeeper for a day. It's | | | | In the end, it's hard to say exactly why we love |
| hard to find anyone who wouldn't love to have an | | | | animals. But humans have always wanted to get as |
| opportunity to learn more about animals both rare | | | | close to animals as possible-and not just to hunt |
| and numerous. | | | | them. Animals have always inspired our imaginations, |
| A sense of wonder. As a child, did you have a | | | | thrilled our spirits, and tugged at our heartstrings. It's |
| favorite animal-one that seemed so beautiful, | | | | a partnership that will continue as long as humans |
| outlandish, powerful, or special you were convinced it | | | | share space on earth with other living creatures. |