Conversation Topic: Animals

This is the first conversation lesson I've done. I am discussing animals with Bob "Baldy" Bobbit. Follow along and see what answers you can come up with.

Questions

What creature scares you? Why?

I'm scared of wasps. When I was a boy, I was at a picnic, and I brushed away a wasp from my sandwich and it stung me. Since then, I really try to avoid them.

Except for food, do humans need other animals? Why or why not?

Yes they do. Watching and petting other animals is therapeutic for humans. It gives us a chance to interact with creatures that are sometimes similar and other times very different from us. On the one hand, we can do so many things that animals can't, but on the other, most animals can achieve feats that we can only dream of.

What is the most effective way to save endangered species?

Unfortunately, certain people such as hunters have economic interests, and they don't care about protecting wildlife and the environment. So, on the one hand, I think that laws should be enforced, and any hunter who kills an endangered species should be punished, either with jail time or maybe working at an animal shelter as part of community service. On the other hand, public land should be set aside for nature preserves.

What are some examples of useful traits that help animals survive? (i.e. a giraffe’s long neck)

Well, I know that some lizards can shed their tail when captured by a predator. Then a new tail grows back. Wouldn't that be great if we could regrow, say, an arm?

What is Darwin famous for?

Darwin is famous for the Theory of Evolution which he explains in his book, The Origin of Species.

What traits have made humans a successful species?

They are social in nature. Language to communicate with each other and cooperation with a few or thousands of other humans. Think of the Internet!

What is the cutest animal you can think of? How about the ugliest?

The dog is the cutest animal and the cockroach is the ugliest.

Why do humans have pets? Do you have a pet? Why or why not?

Humans have pets to keep them company. I have a pet dog named Barky because I like how he cheers me up.