Rewilding: What if We Had the Giants Back?

Dinosaurs were not the only giants to roam our planet. After they died out, a class of animals called “megafauna” gradually evolved on every continent. Armadillos as big as automobiles, ground sloths the size of elephants, and beavers eight feet long roamed North America.

“Rewilding” is a new term we may start hearing more often, as we try to find solutions to balance our impact on the natural world.

We know how much we’ve shaped our surroundings on this planet, but we’ve forgotten that the once abundant large animals (megafauna) had a huge impact too!

Why It Matters

Have you ever considered what the landscape where you live might have looked like thousands of years ago? The choices we make in the coming decades may change the future of life on our planet. Perhaps this is the time to be looking at the past for answers.

Do you live somewhere where the natural world is clearly out of balance? Too many deer eating gardens in your neighborhood? Too many feral cats eating the songbirds? How about pests that are killing whole species of tree, or invasive plants that are taking over waterways?

These are the kinds of imbalances that “rewilding” aims to address.

Let's Talk About It

1. What do you think about rewilding?
2. What animals would you want to see come back? Why?
3. How could rewilding have a positive impact on environments?

Citations

“From the Top of the Food Chain Down: Rewilding Our World – George Monbiot.” YouTube. TED-Ed, 13 Mar. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3I9gDocYdk >.