Digested week: a rhino, a rotten kipper and a 'national humiliation'

This week saw the tragic death of Sudan the rhino, as the Brexit shambles rumbled onOne of the best family holidays we ever had was on a game reserve in South Africa about 10 years ago. Back then it was normally tricky to get the kids out of bed much before 11, but there were no moans about getting up at six every morning to go on an escorted drive to watch the animals. There was something so magical about being in the presence of such natural beauty. The highlight was coming across three rhinos among a clump of trees. Our jeep crept up to within about 20 metres and we all sat in silence for the best part of an hour, overcome with wonder. So the death of Sudan, the last male northern white rhino, felt more personal than it otherwise might have done. The loss of something precious. I asked the zoologist and author of the totally fabulous book The Unexpected Truth about Animals, Lucy Cooke, whether we should try to save the species through IVF. She said no. Humans should take personal and political responsibility for their own destruction and that our efforts would be better spent trying to save existing species rather than encouraging the belief science was so advanced that there need be no consequences to our actions. I think I agree. Continue reading…
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