A veteran naturalist and writer picks the species that have played a key role for humans, from ancient civilisations to today’s climate crisis
On the Origin of Speciesare often said to have provided him with the “eureka moment” for his revolutionary theory of evolution by natural selection, in reality he showed little interest in these curious birds. It was not until long after his death that scientists realised their importance – they revealed that evolution can take place in a much shorter timescale than was once thought.
The snowy egret of North America was one of many species of bird that fell victim to the fashion trade, its plumes adorning women’s hats and dresses, and resulting in the murder of the brave men who tried to protect the birds from the plume collectors. A backlash against such wanton cruelty was organised by pioneering women in Britain and North America. This led to the formation of today’s bird protection organisations, which saved the egret and other victims just in time.