Every day, I read about animals moving toward extinction.

This might choke the borderline naturalists but seldom, if ever, do most people see the other side of the scientific coin.

The fact is that over the past 50 or so years, between 100 and 200 mammals have been discovered. Evolution can destroy, or it can give birth.

A number of years ago, the United States Navy found one such new species in one of its parachute-type nets in 500 feet of water, off the island of Hawaii.

It was a shark-like creature, weighing in at 1,650 pounds and 14 1/2 feet in length. It was not only a new species but a new genus to boot.

Rhino’s and elephant’s future troublesome

Unfortunately, the elephant’s future is suggested to be less than two more decades.

This is not from climate change or lack of food, but rather from poaching for the highly valued ivory tusks that are in demand in China and India. The body is just laid to waste.

As for the rhino, one of its relatives was the largest mammal to walk the face of this planet.

This of course was the dinosaur called “Baluchitherium” (to be explained in my April 17 column).

Most creatures, land or sea, move to extinction caused by climate change or a shrinking environment.

But for the dinosaur, it was neither, but it was sudden. How sudden? Don’t miss next week’s outdoor column in the Star.

I would suggest to any outdoors writer who may be near Cincinnati, Ohio, to visit the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens to really get connected.

Here, you will learn that one single rhino will eat 19,710 pounds in one year.

Put this in with the rhino’s shrinking environment and you can see its future problem.

Now add to this: in Bangkok, drug stores list rhino parts as follows: blood at $34.50 a pound, bones at $2.75 a pound, hide $5.50 a pound, teeth $25 each and horn at $907 a pound.

If you buy ivory, you are no doubt contributing to the demise of the elephant.

To bee or not to bee

The agriculture science field has recently developed a new insecticide and pesticide to protect crops from all critters, such as grasshoppers, ants, etc.

The chemical that would expand agriculture harvest will also kill bees.

The bee population is fast moving toward the endangered species list, while the price of honey in the stores is rocketing.

The agriculture industry is looking for more ways to increase harvest and the success in getting their product to market.

Meanwhile, there is the elimination of bees, birds and other beneficial wildlife creatures.

A new chemical has been recently tested. It will kill any insect that feeds on crop, and sadly, that includes bees.

The present chemical being used in Canada to kill the milkweed is also responsible for the decline of the monarch butterfly.

We know that in the United States, DDT is no longer allowed to be sprayed, yet the U.S. is the largest exporter of the product DDT.

Central America still uses DDT. It is extremely devastating to waterfowl reproduction, and in the long run, what it does to humans is questionable.

Yet Canada still imports vegetables and fruit from the agriculture industry of South America.

No thanks. I’ll buy Canadian or American-grown produce.

Tasty English pound cake

Here is another tasty recipe that has been around longer than some of my readers.

You will need 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp mace, one cup butter, one cup white sugar, five eggs and 1/2 tsp vanilla.

Stir flour, cream of tartar, salt and mace together. Cream butter thoroughly; gradually add sugar, a small amount at a time, creaming well.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg is added.

Stir in vanilla. Add dry ingredients gradually, mixing only until thoroughly blended.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 8 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan.

Bake in a moderate oven at 325 F for 60 to 70 minutes or until done.

Sprinkle top with icing sugar or serve plain.

Next, invite other campers to your camping trailer and make new friends for life.

Enjoy.

This week’s saying: “One of the good things about getting up in age is that it’s a nice change from being young.”

For sure, I will say amen to that, brother.

The Whitehorse writer is a member of the Outdoor Writers of Canada whose column appears Fridays.

Readers can suggest ideas to him by e-mailing him at: murraywritesforu@northwestel.net

VOICE OF THE OUTDOORS
By MURRAY J. MARTIN