Friendships in nature

 A wise man has said and I quoted,

 “Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” 

Woodrow Wilson 

Friendship is a platonic relationship between two people who care about each other. According to the great Roman Statesman Cicero “Friendship increases happiness and diminishes misery by doubling our joy and dividing our grief”. Friends are needed in every stage of life. Friendship has no age limit. Every group of people- children, youth, elders, very elderly people, etc. have their friends. We need to select our friends very carefully. We have to remember the maxim “All that glitters is not gold”. In the same manner, we must not be moved by apparent show of friendship. Many remain with us in the guise of good friends and lead us to the wrong path. Today, many youngsters have become social nuisance mainly due to wrong company and bad friends. We spent much of our time with them. Their mental outlook, behavior, attitudes affect us too. Therefore, we have to choose our friends very carefully. We have to distinguish between fair-weather friends and true friends. True friends remain with us through thick and thin while fair-weather friends are found only during sunny days. Friendship is a faithful and loyal relationship between two or more person living anywhere in the world. We cannot live our whole life alone and need a faithful relationship to someone to live happily called friends. It is not limited to the age, sex and position of the person means friendship can be between men and women, men and men, women and women or human to animals of any age group. Although there are many forms of friendship, certain characteristics are present in all types of such bonds. Such characteristics include affection, kindness, love, honesty trust, compassion, loyalty, mutual understanding, forgiving and enjoyment etc. Almost everyone is having a friend, some people make their pets as a friend, some have the habit to maintain the diary and make that as a friend and so on. Likewise every human is having his/her company of friends but all of us have a common friend that is the “Nature”. The nature is everything around us which surrounds us with beautiful environment. Interspecies friendships have been documented more than ever before as a result of the development and popularity of internet and especially YouTube. While some scientists accept the existence of such friendships others remain skeptical. The word friendship is commonly used when describing close bonds among humans. However, scientific community is reluctant to use the word friendships when it comes to animals and they describe animal friendships as social bonds instead (Brent et al., 2013). However, primatologists have started to use the word friendship in order to describe close relationships among monkeys and apes. There are some people out there that still believe that animals are just dumb beasts, but the unlikely animal friendships we’ve gathered here will prove that they are capable of feeling love and compassion just like we are. Friendship is found among animals of higher intelligence, such as higher mammals and some birds. Cross-species friendships are common between humans and domestic animals. In the previous 11,000 years, humans have brought a wide range of species into domestication to use as livestock, working animals, household pets, and companions. The influence of human behavior on
domesticated animals has led to many species having learned to co-exist - sometimes leading to the formation of an interspecies friendship. For example, interspecies friendships are often observed in humans with their domesticated pets and in pets that live in the same household such as cats and dogs. Research by McLennan measured the heart rates of cattle, and showed that the cows were more stressed when alone or with an unfamiliar cow than they were with friends, lending support to the idea that cows are social animals, capable of forming close bonds with each other. There are many documented instances of unusual interspecies friendships. A ram and blind cow exhibited interspecies friendship in which the ram would protect the cow by making sure she did not bump into anything and feeding beside her every day. When the cow gave birth to a calf, the ram exhibited these protective behaviors on the calf as well. Cats, dogs, horses, cows, elephants, hens, ducks, monkeys etc., are our friends. Cats are kept as pets, for they kill rats and other rodents. They are also very good to play with. In western countries cats are very popular as pets. They make a good constant company. Dogs are kept as pets for protection and safety. They are matchless in faithfulness and loyalty. They help in hunting, in rearing sheep and in protecting properties. They also help in detecting and tracking thieves and criminals. For the police, they are very useful in this respect. Dogs are intelligent and have a very sensitive nose. Their sense of smelling is very sharp. The dog is man’s one of the oldest friends. They are trained for many other purposes as well. They are very good guides and can help wonderfully the blind. They draw sledges in snow-bound areas. They can also save travelers lost in snow-storms or buried in snow and ice. St. Bernard’s dogs are very famous for such rescuing services. Horses are domesticated, for they are well-known for their speed, strength, agility, faithfulness and an unerring road sense. They are dependable friends both in war and peace. The name of the horse Chetek of Maharani Pratap is a famous name in history. They can also perform many pranks, tricks and feats. It is really delightful to see a horse dance or perform tricky jumps. Similarly, elephants have been great and reliable friends of mankind from times immemorial. An elephant is very intelligent, brave, faithful and hardworking animal. It can be used in fights, to carry loads, for rides and hunting. Being an intelligent animal, it never forgets both the acts of kindness and acts of wrongdoing. Donkeys, camels, yaks, bullocks are the beasts of burden. They serve us in a way that none can do. Similarly, the cow is kept as a pet for its milk, dung and hide. In western countries cow-meat is also eaten with relish. But in India cow is worshipped by the Hindu as mother, and held in much respect. She is a symbol of holiness, care, affection and innocence. Monkeys are also our friends. They are made pets to perform tricks. They are also used in the discovery of medicines. Whenever a new medicine is discovered, it is first tried on them. Birds like parrots, bulbuls, manias etc., are kept as pets for their sweet songs. Kites, crows and vultures are also our friends. They are scavenging birds and keep our surroundings neat and clean. Really, these animals and birds are great and reliable friends of ours. Without them life would have lost half of its charm and usefulness. We should always be kind to them. The friendship between man and animals is more reliable and lasting. The pet animals respond better to our care, love and friendship. Man’s friendship with man may not last long, but it is of permanent nature with the domesticated and pet animals. Animals, birds and such other creatures are never ungrateful. Once
friends, they are always friends. They will never turn hostile or enemies came what may. They are constant, loyal and faithful till the last. They do not know betrayal, deceit or foul play. That is why they have been so useful to mankind. Many of the animals are our real and true friends. They live in perfect harmony and friendship with us. Why did these animals form their friendships? Whatever the reason may be, unusual friendships like these show that animals may be far more emotionally complex than many of us believe. Yet as complex, as they are, these funny animals also have their hilarious moments when playing with their friend.
An example of such interspecies friendship is human and forests. Amazon rainforest is the world’s largest rainforests {lungs of earth} which almost provides 20% of the total oxygen to the planet which humans are using at no cost. It covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. This basin encompasses 7,000,000 km2 (2,700,000 sq. mi), of which 5,500,000 km2 (2,100,000 sq. mi) are covered by the rainforest. This region includes territory belonging to nine nations. The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with 60% of the rainforest, followed by Peru with 13%, Colombia with 10%, and with minor amounts in Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. The Amazon represents over half of the planet's remaining rainforests and comprises the largest and most bio diverse tract of tropical rainforest in the world, with an estimated 390 billion individual trees divided into 16,000 species. The region is home to about 2.5 million insect species tens of thousands of plants, and some 2,000 birds and mammals. To date, at least 40,000 plant species, 2,200 fishes, 1,294 birds, 427 mammals, 428 amphibians, and 378 reptiles have been scientifically classified in the region One in five of all bird species are found in the Amazon rainforest, and one in five of the fish species live in Amazonian rivers and streams. Scientists have described between 96,660 and 128,843 invertebrate species in Brazil alone. Three key benefits of the Amazon rainforest are:
 The Amazon helps maintain the water cycle by producing large quantities of rainfall every year. Moisture from the Amazon influences rainfall as far away as Central America and the western US
 The Amazon helps to stabilize the earth’s climate and slow global warming by fixing CO2 and producing 20% of the world’s oxygen in the process
 The Amazon is home to more plant and animal species than any other terrestrial ecosystem on the planet, including at least 40,000 plant species, 2.5 million insect species, 2,200 fish’s species and 427 mammal species. One in five of all bird species live in the Amazon rainforest.
A little known fact is that more than 50% of dust falling each year on Amazon rainforest and replenishing soil lost to annual flooding comes from the Sahara desert.
There are currently record-breaking fires happening in the world's biggest tropical rainforest — and there's been some debate about what's causing the blazes. It's safe to say people around the world have been wondering how the Amazon rainforest fires started in the first place, and whether the Amazon's special ecosystem is going to be damaged as a result. As it turns out, experts believe the fires were started by humans — and they could have profound consequences. The Amazon rainforest covers a large portion of northern Brazil, along with parts of several other South
American countries. While there are fires in the Amazon every year, this year there's been a substantial uptick. According to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE), there have been around 74,000 fires in the Amazon in 2019, compared to 40,136 fires in 2018. As CNN reported, because of its humid, wet environment, there are few natural wildfires in the Amazon. Instead, as the outlet noted, the overwhelming majority of Amazonian fires are started by humans as a way to clear land for farming and grazing. Alberto Setzer, a senior scientist at INPE, emphasized to CNN that 99% of the rainforest's fires were caused by human action "either on purpose or by accident."
According to National Geographic, due to increasing deforestation, the Amazon has already lost around 17 percent over the past 50 years. If deforestation continues at current rates, more than half of the Amazon forest will be gone by the year 2030. After that, it wouldn't take long for it to completely disappear. Think of it like a home, the home to Amazonian, thousands and millions species of insects, plants, birds and mammals. The forests provide food and shelters, with some species as medicine used for curing human diseases. Animals live there; some of them can only live there but nowhere else. They have formed a balance through their many years of coexistence. If you study biology at school, you may recall a concept of food web with carnivores at the top and plants at the base. Each species has a role in maintaining this balance. They have connected together just like we have different body parts all working together for the health and stability of the ecosystem.
A question arises here, “How do we protect the Amazon Rainforest from deforestation”?
Well, almost none. Simple answer is we can’t. In today’s world, where everything is focused on making MONEY MONEY MONEY LOTS OF LUVVERLY MONEY, anything and everything will be exploited to make money. National parks? Drill!!! Cut the trees kill those inconvenient pesky wolves, do whatever it takes to maximize the production potential of these pristine lands. Much of the north (otherwise known as the developed or first world) started a lot like the Amazon rain forest. Wall to wall forest. We have already demolished entire forests for housing, for fuel, to create farmland, to build navies. It was very profitable. So now we want to tell the Amazonians not to clear their forests. Basically it’s none of out business. We have already proved that we, the west, are morally bankrupt, and have no right to demand that they pay for the consequences of a world that we engineered. And yet it does seem important to save the rain forest. There are many potential benefits, including but not limited to CO2 absorption, potential drugs from undiscovered life forms, indigenous cultures which are at risk, and probably much more. And yet saving the forest is not, in and of itself, profitable.
Have you ever been to the grocery store and wondered where we get all those fruits? Chocolate? Spices? Have you ever wondered where the rubber from your shoes comes from? Cane sugar? Chewing gum? Vanilla? Ginger? Coffee? These all came from the rainforest. If it weren't for the rainforest your grocery store would look WAY different. And those are just the small percentage of things that we've managed market to consumers. There are many thousands of fruits and herbs in our rainforests that have value to humanity that you have never heard of.
A flower when it blooms shows its beauty and aroma to the world. It is not concerned what the passersby think about it, whether someone notices it or not. Someone may pluck the flower, tear its petals, and trample it under their feet. A new flower blooms soon again. It’s a different flower, but quite closely like the old flower. Become like that. Become like the flower which blooms without caring that people have the habit to pluck the flowers, decorate the houses and present the gifts and so on. Although the flowers grow again and again. Once friends, they are always friends. They will never turn hostile or enemies came what may. They are constant, loyal and faithful till the last. They do not know betrayal, deceit or foul play. Ever since the start of space explorations, scientists are in search of places which might be similar to Earth. Moreover, the nature we live in is unique and is indeed our best friend. It provides us with all facilities, such as air to breathe, food to eat, water to drink, and solid crust to dwell on. Development of civilizations has introduced new changes in the atmosphere of our surroundings but still, nature keeps on giving itself without asking anything in return. However, every individual must live responsibly on this planet and maintain the equilibrium that has made this Earth so nurturing. We cannot deny that corrupt use of natural elements has erupted, but if we are determined to do best for our dear friend Nature, we must act upon it today- at this very moment.

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” 

This quote has been floating around for years. I have no idea if Van Gogh actually said or wrote it, but the sentiment still holds. I was thinking about it recently because the message is rooted in assumption that nature will always be available for us to enjoy: something we cannot take for granted today. Before the Industrial Revolution, people probably never even conceived of the idea of nature actually being irrevocably destroyed or forever changed. In those days, natural resources were, for the most part, renewable. Not because people took extraordinary care of the environment (they didn’t) but because there were not enough people or industries to overpower things yet. We’ve never been a species that considered sustainability simply because we never had to. Until now. And so, back then, if one truly loved nature, you could find beauty everywhere, because nature was everywhere to be found.

“Real friendship, like real poetry, is extremely rare – and precious as a pearl.” ― Tahar Ben Jelloun