In the click-flash
from the eye of the storm,
Lens prayers seek
proven witness –
Hunger – Spilled Thoughts
on green hearts,
To snatch bright wings
of shattered skies.
Here, in the quiet morning
They attract their prey,
Summoning specters from the air
from their shelters of
flesh turned into words.
Paths of veins trampled
below the image missions,
as night hunters
Once wrapped in the moonlight glow
bow down before him
Incessant buzzing
from the light box –
Devoid of life
Still full of tricks.
This poem is inspired by Recent researchwho has discovered that nature is at risk in the search for the perfect selfie.
The rise of social media has led to a significant increase in tourism and nature photography, as people enthusiastically share their experiences online. While this trend has connected many people with the natural world, it has also had unintended consequences for wildlife and their habitats. The increasing presence of humans in natural environments, often driven by the desire to capture and share the perfect image, is causing disturbances that can be detrimental to native species. These disturbances range from direct impacts such as scaring animals, disrupting their feeding or breeding, and increasing their vulnerability to predators, to indirect effects such as the spread of disease and increased risks of poaching. Activities such as the use of drones, playback of animal calls, and baiting wildlife for photos have further exacerbated these problems, sometimes resulting in serious harm to plants and animals.
In response to these concerns, researchers have examined the specific ways in which social media use is affecting biodiversity. Their findings highlight that certain species are more vulnerable to these disturbances, particularly those that are rare, non-mobile, or limited to specific geographic areas. The study underscores the importance of developing ethical guidelines and stricter regulations to mitigate the negative impacts of social media on wildlife. By identifying the species most at risk, researchers have proposed a framework to help protect these vulnerable taxa from the increasing pressures of Internet-driven nature tourism and photography. This research is crucial as it provides a roadmap for balancing the public’s desire to interact with nature while ensuring biodiversity conservation.
