Dec 27 2007
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Alan Rabinowitz - Zoologist Gives a Voice to Big Cats in the Wilderness - New York Times
As a child, I had this horrific stutter. In school, I was put in what was called the retarded classes. I was very angry that people couldn’t see past the stuttering. From the second grade on, I stopped talking, except to the little green turtle and the chameleon I kept at home.
Talking to the animals, I realized they had feelings. I didn’t know if they understood me. But I saw that they were exactly like me. They weren’t broken, but people mistreated them because they can’t communicate. I thought if these animals had a voice, people wouldn’t be able to crush them and throw them away. When I was a child, I promised the animals that if I ever got my voice back, I’d be their voice.
It makes me feel whole, knowing that I’m allowing more animals to live in this world. Every time I set up a protected area, I feel I’m paying them back for helping me speak.
Rabinowitz was also featured in an episode of Radio Lab this year.
On a Radio Lab related note, I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts lately. I keep saying that I am going to do a post about the ones I really like—which will hopefully encourage others to do the same, thereby creating a way for me to find new podcasts without a lot of work. However, if I don’t get around to that, let me just say this: give Radio Lab a listen. If you are interested in science and interesting sound design I can just about guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
