Electric Age Wildlife

[rejectomorph]

Many local residents have sensors which turn on yard lights or driveway lights. At night, as the raccoons and skunks and deer, (not to mention the stray dogs and wandering cats,) make their way around the neighborhood, they often trip the lights. I wonder what they think when the night is suddenly illuminated? They don't seem to be particularly surprised. They certainly don't avoid the houses which have such lights. Perhaps they have adjusted to the phenomenon, and accept it as simply a natural part of their environment. And, if so, would they be surprised if the lights quit working? Something to ponder. But, to me, it is strange to be living in an age when wild creatures can turn on the lights.

Comments

[jaarronn.livejournal.com]

If we humans survive, which I am strongly inclined to doubt, it will only be because we somehow "saw the light" and made some drastic reductions in the ridiculously wasteful ways in which we are now living.

Didn't you read Jurassic Park?

[eideteker.livejournal.com]

Survive what? The sun blowing up in five billion years?

"I have a story!" AND "You hit a nerve!"

[eideteker.livejournal.com]

Once again, we are struck by synchronicity! Just last night, I had an encounter with a raccoon. We met beneath a motion-sensitive light in the alley behind my apartment, oddly enough. Neither of us saw the other coming, and we both jumped back with a start. I have no idea what he was doing there, but I know I was there to unscrew the damn thing because it shines into my window.

I'm sure the animals have adapted. I'm also certain that if you watch, you might see some of the smaller foraging animals using the lights, which they are more used to in their scavenging, to scare of predators who are stalking them.

And I'm more suprised and revulsed that we live in an age where humans can't turn off the lights. Some nights, I just want everything to be dark. What are people so afraid of? It doesn't need to be daylight outside, but people don't realize that because they never employ their scotopic vision. If these damn city folk would just sit in "total blackness" they would realize that they can see just about as well as in daylight; just without color. In fact, motion perception, which I'd assume they want, to avoid whatever imaginary assailant might approach, works better in low light. I don't know; I hate bright light because I have an inordinate number of rods in my eyes or something, but I think eyes need rest every so often. Darkness is soothing.

[kenhighcountry.livejournal.com]

One of my neighbors in Colorado had those "delightful" motion sensitive lights, and they were blinding.
The reccoons used to run out, trigger them on intentionally, and then run away. You could hear them giggling by the side of his house.