Have you ever wondered why dogs are naturally more amicable, loyal and endearing to humans than any other species in the world? It is a well-known fact that dogs were domesticated by hunter-gatherers around 15,000 years ago, predating the era of agriculture. They evolved in close association with the hunters, developing certain traits that have made them the perfect human companions. Their bond with humans is so intimate that some are trained to be therapy dogs that provide emotional support and affection to people who need it. It is interesting to know that such advantageous evolutionary changes, which used to take thousands of years to happen, are happening at a pace that is astoundingly humble in comparison.
Though not always progressive, evolution is an indication of a species’ survivability. If a particular species cannot evolve to its changing environment, inevitably, it will cease to exist. Evolution is continuous and, in most cases, takes a long time to bring about substantial changes in organisms. This has been the case until the intervention of Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens, popularly known as humans, possess a power akin to that of King Midas. In Greek Mythology, King Midas was given the power to turn whatever he touched into gold. Humans, on the other hand, tend to ruin things in their path. They often end up causing harm to all living things in turn, including themselves.
Human beings are not voluntarily trying to cause self-destruction. They are ignorant of the fact that an imbalance caused in a small part of the ecosystem affects the ecosystem as a whole. Up to a million plant and animal species are on the brink of extinction due to human activities. If ‘activities’ makes you think of trees being cut down ruthlessly instead of the cultivation of food crops for consumption, welcome to the modern world. Our actions have become extremely human-centric, rather than nature-centric, ignoring the lives of other species existing on Earth. They have led to some eccentric yet profound changes in nature’s cycle. Animals are evolving in response to the actions of humans. The evolution of elephants from having majestic tusks to being tuskless is one such notable example.
Many such substantial changes are now taking place. Classifying things as good or evil necessitates a moral objectivity that is difficult to achieve. As a result of nature's continuous genetic alterations, humans have transcended from being a creation to becoming the creator. Any species that desires to survive would not destroy its sole viable habitat. It is high time for us to recognize that how we act determines the fate of our planet, and that our actions have consequences for every living entity on this planet.
