Writing Assignments
At the National Zoo in our nation’s capital during the presidency of President Roosevelt, 18 black squirrels were released. There are several things, which set this particular species of squirrels apart. This set of what was originally 18 squirrels have coats that are completely black just for starters.
This particular species of squirrels is unique in one way that has already been mentioned. They have coats that are completely black. This allows them to adapt to the changing season in one very important way. Because of the shade of their coat, this particular breed of squirrel does not have as much trouble with getting heat in the winter because a dark coat attracts heat so they do not need as much physical or food warmth to stay warm during winter months. Since they do not have, the need for as much sunlight there is less competition between this species and the original species of gray squirrels. Competition usually comes into effect when two or more groups are competing for the same resources (Berra 6). These two groups of squirrels however don’t seem to notice that they are in competition with each other, “they don’t seem to care.”
Differential reproduction tells us that those of the animal species who are well adapted live longer and seem to reproduce more (Berra 8). The fact that this set of squirrels who originally were only 18 in total, now number up to 25 percent of the squirrel population in some parts of our nations capital proves that through both natural selection and differential reproduction that this subspecies of squirrels has evolved to meet the criteria.
Natural selection has not chosen to delete either of these two species from the original line. Instead, both lines have reproduced side by side and now we have both lines existing from the National Zoo all the way into Rockville and Prince William Counties in Washington State.
Geographic isolation is the best way to describe how this particular species has stayed the black squirrel. It is also the reason why they have stayed where they have for as long as they have. Their home territory only ranges from the national zoo to Rockville and Prince William Counties they have remained cut off from all the many other species of squirrels except for the gray squirrel which was common there. This black species also had one other great thing going for it. When the species was brought into the National Zoo, it was brought to help repopulate the squirrels already in the Washington area. It was brought because large amounts of hunting were wiping out the regular species population. This black species was introduced in order to combat that wiping out and help bring the squirrel population as a whole back to normal parameters (Berra 12).
The best thing going for this squirrel is that it has very little competition working against it. The other species of squirrel is not trying to wipe it out; instead, they are living side by side in the same environment. The only thing that really puts a damper on its relationship with its environment is that it does at times fall prey to some of the hawks in the area because of the black color of its coat.
This set of black squirrels teaches us many things about evolution. We found out through work that was started not too long ago that evolution is still taking place in the world today. We know also, that two species sharing an environment is not always detrimental to one or the other, that they can co-exist in that environment if there is enough resources for them both to live there. Lastly, because each individual is unique we know that as long as they are able to successfully reproduce their numbers will continue to grow in their environments.
The Sneetches is a book for young children by Dr. Seuss. The book is about two different groups of people who have only one big difference that difference just happens to be whether you have a star on your belly. To understand how the young sneetches react to each other, we must understand what their parents grew up with. The sneetches with the stars on their bellies have always been seen as superior than those without stars on their bellies. As children, the sneetches without stars were not allowed to play with the sneetches with stars. The children sneetches only know that their parents have never mingled among each other, they are not really sure of the reasons all they know for sure is that the sneetches without stars did not play with the sneetches with stars.
The sneetches developed a cultural hierarchy. Those with stars were better than those without stars. Their culture separated them from each other in all the ways that count. They constructed a world with rules and regulations. The star bellies were better than the others were. Whatever they did, they had their noses in the air. When walking down the street those without stars would seed everything they did. If they were walking behind someone who had a star belly, they would slow down and drop their gaze. They were acting almost ashamed to be in the same facility.
The star in this story is a very big signifier. The star on the bellies of the star bellied sneetches signifies many different things. The star for starters signifies a superior attitude. It also signifies a rift between two societies that should have been just one. These societies had only one difference but that difference turned out to be one that would prove to be one that could eventually be fixed.
Historical particularism leads us to know that the sneetches have been acting this way their whole life. The children were born into a society that regulated everything they did. Their parents didn’t intermingle because there was such a rift between them. They stayed where in the same culture because that was the way that their parents acted. All the snitches with star bellies put on airs and looked down their noses at those who didn’t.
The plain-bellied sneetches don’t put on airs because they have always been stigmatized by their societies. They were taught that they were worth less. They were never allowed to play with the star bellied sneetches; they were made to feel inferior of the star belled sneetches.
The sneetches are a good group to study. They have created a culture that is centrally located around a symbol that is not something that can be controlled. They place much significance on whether or not someone was born with a star on the belly. Children and parents alike are assigned their roles in a hierarchical society based on one simple star. Those with are afforded the life of luxury. They play together, have barbecues and enjoy living the high life on a daily basis. They walk down the road with noses in the air thinking that they are better than those without stars who are in the world around them. Those without the stars are left to worry and wonder. They do the bowing and scraping, as we would say.