The 20th of November plays host to Human-Animal Relationships Awareness Week - in fact, 2017 is only the second time that this occasion has taken place. The goal of Human-Animal Relationship Awareness Week is to cast light on (you guessed it) human-animal relationships, highlighting both the benefits and potential problems associated with it. Overall, the event aims t create more compassion within and around communities, as well as establishing further understanding of the situation (leading to safer communities overall.) Check out our infographic below, which serves as a summary of the cause.
This issue is very real for populations of wild species who are made vulnerable by human activity. Here are some examples of where humans and animals have come into conflict and how this is detrimental to both species.
Homes Get Ele-Raided At The Great Elephant Project.
Whale Sharks Collide With Boats As They Feed Close To The Surface.
However, there can be some good to come out of some human-animal relationships in particular; the common denominator being that the intentions of the humans have animal welfare at the forefront. Here we can see some humans (in fact, volunteers at the Costa Rica Turtle Conservation Experience!) who are dedicated to helping to preserve animals, and help give them hope for a life in their natural habitat.
See The Positives Of Human-Animal Relationships As Humans Help Baby Turtles Back To The Sea.
It seems that human-animal relationships are a hugely complex concept, but when the two clash it can have some seriously devastating consequences as you can see from the blogs above. There are solutions however, but it is entirely up to humans to implement these. Help to educate others on this important day and spark conversation about this topic, as spreading awareness is crucial in taking the first steps to make a difference!