“What good are they?” a woman recently asked wildlife writer Shannon Jacobs about skunks.
“Are you asking what good are they for humans or what good are they for the web of life?” Shannon retorted. Eyes rolled with that comment.
Good for What?
So what good are skunks? What good are manatees? What good are grizzly bears? What good are termites? And, of course, what good are snakes?
We’ve touched on the worth of snakes in previous articles. But what about termites? While considered pests when they invade homes, termites are important recyclers of wood and other plant matter, creating habitat, and forming soil. They also serve as food for countless predators, including humans.
Once, before taking a boat ride in the Gulf of Mexico near Naples, Florida, the boat’s pilot told us, “Why do they make such a big fuss over manatees? They’re so ugly!”
Ugly and Offensive
Animals that are offensive to us in some way or ugly to our way of thinking actually have a purpose on Earth. They fit in somewhere in the food chain, a link in an ecosystem that helps support a habitat.
Contrary to termites and manatees, Grizzly bears appeal to many as cute, cuddly, even comic critters or strong, majestic mammals. Yet, a grizzly can rip into flesh and crush bone. Dangerous and unpredictable, a grizzly is to be respected and avoided.
Skunks
So what good are skunks, as the woman asked? “Well,” retorted Shannon, “what good are you?”
Flustered, the woman paused, then finally blurted out, “Humans are good for procreation.”
Shannon didn’t hesitate. “And so are skunks!” she said.