Last week, I wrote about a field guide for humans.
If such a book existed, I am pretty sure that it would declare humans to be the noisiest species on the planet. Some humans like noise so much that they engulf themselves in noise 24/7. They even want background noises to drown out the noises created in large cities. Often, you can hear human noises from kilometres away. This would, of course, include the noises from human machines and engines.
It's really a little bizarre that humans seem to love noise so much. I was in a bush camp and in the middle of the camp was a diesel generator that was being run 24 hours a day. I suggested that they could turn the generator off between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. because they really didnSA国际影视传媒檛 need or use any electricity during those hours. Not only would the camp be quiet for sleeping but it would save a lot of fuel, which was expensive to fly in.
I was a little surprised when most people wanted the generator running because they slept better with it on. The engine noise blocked out the forest noises, so they werenSA国际影视传媒檛 startled by them. It is the same way people use white noise to block sounds they find disturbing. Or some people like loud noises, such as music, to block out city noises.
People do have some interesting reactions to certain noises. One time I was out prospecting an area with a boat. One weekend, three guys arrived and set up their camp in sight of mine across a bay. There was load music, laughing and shouting as they set up camp and drank some beers.
I went to bed around 10 p.m., but a little while later I awoke to some yelling and a couple of gunshots. I looked over and the three of them were milling around and obviously in some sort of agitation or distress. So, I got in my boat and went over to their camp to see what was going on and if they needed any help. They were obviously a little drunk and hyped up. They said there had been a bear in the woods and they fired at the sound to chase it way.
I was a little confused. I asked what kind of bear. They didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know. They hadn't seen it but heard it. It had been breaking some branches, so they shot at the sound.
Think about that for a moment. They never saw what was making the sound but shot at the sound to scare it away. It could have been a hiker, someone who was lost or it could have been a moose. They said they heard whatever it was run off. So supposedly they didn't hit it. I went back to my camp shaking my head. Drunks shooting at sounds. What could possibly go wrong?
If you are working in the bush near civilization or cottage country, be really careful on the weekends because you never know when someone might shoot at you because you happen to sound like a bear breaking a branch or two.
I do wonder sometimes how all the human sounds affect wildlife. On a long weekend in the middle of the summer, you can have a lot of boats and Sea-Doos on the lakes, quads and off-road vehicles in the bush and ghetto blasters and parties going on. In-town and out-of-town people can make a whole lot of noise.
Here is another thought during the summer while in your boat or vehicle: carry a couple collapsible water containers just in case you need to put out a fire. If you think sounds can be dangerous, forest fires can be worse, so be careful during the hot, dry summer months.
