Unlikely Heroes by Jennifer Holland

 

“Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words,

And never stops at all.”

Emily Dickinson

 If you hear a person using the word “parrot” in a negative way, be prepared to share the story of Willie, the parrot who helped save a toddler’s life. Meagan, her babysitter, had been in the bathroom for only thirty seconds when she heard Willie’s frantic calls:

 “Mama!  Baby!”

 

 He kept repeating the same words. Meagan dashed out of the bathroom immediately and found Hannah choking on her favorite treat. Her face and lips were blue. Meagan performed the Heimlich maneuver on Hannah and saved her life. 

Willie had never used those two words together, but in this specific situation he did and made an unforgettable difference in many peoples’ lives.

 Unlikely Heroes by Jennifer Holland shares true stories of animals who saved both human and non-human lives with no expectation of rewards. They just do it because saving somebody’s life feels right, and in doing so, they demonstrate that being kind and caring has nothing to do with wearing any sort of badge.

 There are also cases of animals able to sense a cancer diagnosis or some other ominous medical condition that had been overlooked. There are animals rescuing other animals. For example, an elk saved a marmot from drowning; a seal did the same for a dog drowning in a river. No rewards were given for those deeds.

 

 These true stories flooded me with smiles and tears. It is the kind of book I love to read before going to bed at night because it brightens my mood and paves the way to a wonderful night sleep.

The heroes and heroines are various animals, including several dogs, cats, rats, horses, cows, dolphins, goats, a hippo, gorillas, a camel, a llama and many others. Dive into this wonderful read and surprise yourself.

 

Another positive aspect of Unlikely Heroes is that I learned a lot. With every anecdote Jennifer Holland adds curious facts about the animals involved. It awakens our interest in the natural world and has the potential to inspire us to become more mindful of our actions and the impact they have.

 

 There is a chapter about cranes. Did you know that cranes enjoy dancing? It is true that dancing plays a role in mating, but they also dance for fun. Dancing has several benefits; it relieves stress and supports communication and cognition, to mention just a few.

  The Whooping Crane is the tallest North American bird. It is an endangered keystone species due to habitat loss and hunting. 

 Some states in the United States of America still allow the hunting of cranes. If you don’t know the meaning of “keystone” species I invite you to look it up, and hopefully, you will be encouraged to spread the word on the need to protect them.

 The International Crane Foundation is doing an incredible job of protecting and supporting the survival of Whooping Cranes with the help of the Sandhill Cranes. If you visit Wisconsin, don’t miss the chance to visit their site. It teems with prairies and wildflowers, and there are glorious trails to soothe your mind and recharge your spirit.

 This delightful place is ideal to spend time with family and friends.

 

The educational material is engaging and fascinating, and you will create special memories that will last a lifetime.

  Artworks at this exhibition will uplift you and boost your zest for life. This painting is by Melanie Hava, an Australian Aboriginal artist.

 

 Hunters in Wisconsin are not allowed to kill Whooping Cranes, but they sometimes slaughter them by accident. The fact is that hunting causes stress and suffering in all the animals of a community.

 If somebody started shooting your neighborhood, you would be terrified. The same happens to animals when hunters attack. Hunting causes stress and suffering in ALL the animals, not just the ones that are targeted.

  It takes empathy to understand it, and empathy is a kind of intelligence.

 It is strange to me that so much is spent on seeking life in other planets, when we cannot come together to understand,  respect and protect life in our own planet.

The only thing I do not like about Unlikely Heroes is the title.

 Who are we to determine who is an “unlikely” hero?

As you know, words play a role in perpetuating biases, misconceptions and prejudices.

I think the book should have a fair honest title instead:

      “Heroes and Heroines”

        We can do better.

 

 

 

Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer Holland

 

 If you need a book to uplift you, surprise you and warm your heart, Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer Holland will meet the expectations.

    These forty-seven stories of friendship will “connect you with the best part of yourself.” This read will shower you with smiles and tears of joy, and it will kindle a sense of hope.

  If you are skeptical, let me introduce you to the story of Bobbi the Dog and Bob Cat. After the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina 250,000 domestic animals were left on their own. Rescuers from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary found Bobbi the dog and Bob the cat roaming the streets of New Orleans. Nobody knows if they had shared a home before Hurricane Katrina slammed New Orleans, but a construction worker noticed that they were inseparable.

  At the shelter volunteers were unable to separate the pair. Bobbi the Dog (a female) was also found to be very protective of Bob Cat. They discovered that Bob Cat was blind, so Bobbi Dog had been leading the cat to keep him safe at all times. Bobbi Dog would bark at anybody who approached the cat, and eventually they were both adopted by the same person.

 The bond of their friendship was stronger than the effects of the hurricane.

  After hurricane Katrina, volunteers and rescue organizations worked tirelessly to rescue animals. Humans are not the only ones who suffer with wars and natural disasters. Animals do too, and they also need our help. This is why I support an organization called International Fund for Animal Welfare, which supports animals and people in Ukraine amid the cruel, irrational and inexcusable Russian invasion by Vladimir Putin, a dictator whose acts of terrorism are destroying the lives of families in Ukraine, and having consequences beyond the Ukrainian borders.

  

   Some photographs have the power to tell stories. The vibrant photos in Unlikely Friendships do just that. In the Indonesian island of Bali a macaque befriended a kitten.

The macaque groomed and hugged the kitten with loving care. You can tell by the expression on the kitten’s face that the feline welcomed the macaque's tender displays of affection.

 

The macaque also protected the kitten in every way he could. If other macaques or people got too close to him, the macaque would carry the kitten away from them, or he would hide him by covering him with leaves. 

  

 

In a village called Antoli, located in India, a young wild leopard sneaked into a farm every night to visit a cow. The villagers thought the leopard would harm the cow, so they called the Forest Department to have the leopard removed and transferred to a wildlife sanctuary nearby. However, the leopard came back every night, seeking motherly love.

 “The cow would lick the leopard starting with her head and neck, cleaning whatever she could reach as the leopard wriggled in apparent delight. If the cow was asleep when the leopard arrived, the visitor would gently awaken her with a nuzzle to the leg before lying down and pressing close. Other cattle stood nearby, but the leopard ignored them. The chosen cow seemed pleased to give the leopard her nightly bath. For almost two months the cat showed up around eight in the evening and cuddled with the cow until the first hint of sunrise…”

 

 

Koko the gorilla used sign language to ask for a kitten for her birthday. When she received the kitten, she took great care of her. She was always patient and handled her gently.

  The amusing stories in this book remind us to celebrate the power of friendship and motherly love, and to honor the glory of these precious bonds: a rat and a cat; a cockatoo and a cat; a pig and a dog; a sheep and an elephant, and so many others that will captivate your heart and open your mind to the complex inner lives of animals.

  Those of us who are attuned to other animals may not find these stories so surprising, but they are still reassuring to our intuition and perceptions.

  If the pensive eyes of the macaque in the book cover were not enough to convince you to read this spellbinding book, I hope my post will.

 Jennifer Holland is a science and nature journalist. She writes for National Geographic.