Magpies

I think of the human species in terms of global ecology. Homo sapiens does not hold a deed to Earth in some Universal registry. If our species owns the planet, we would have to be seen as a derelict property owners. It is more realistic to see our species as an evolved  invasive predatory species, which degrades ecologies by overpopulation and unrestrained predation. This is a hard pill to swallow for those humans who feel narcissistically entitled to their place in the food chain. They cling to the delusion that they have been ordained by some extraterrestrial authority (god) to just carry on as usual.

This "Living On Earth" piece on magpies is a wonderful window into the human-to-environment relationship.