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 In response to the cover story ‘Strays Shocker’ published in GulfWeekly (December 11-17, 2013), I would like to share my personal experiences during a visit to the UK in 2009.

When I was standing on the bridge of River Tay near the Broughty Ferry Castle, Scotland, I saw a group of seagulls and swans in the river. It was not a strange sight because in Bahrain we see this scene routinely. Suddenly, I saw that all these birds were moving towards the bank. I came down from the bridge and saw that an old lady was feeding those birds pieces of bread along with her three-year-old granddaughter.

The exciting thing for me was that the birds were not feeling any fear and they were even snatching the pieces of bread from the hands of that lady and her granddaughter. I requested them for some pieces and the birds gathered around me seeking the bread. An old swan who could not walk on the stones was sitting a little far, I walked to him and fed him.

In another incident, I was sitting on a bench in the London’s Hyde Park. I was eating peanuts when I saw a pair of squirrels come near me and one of them jumped on my thigh and started demanding for the nuts. I delightedly shared with her and she enjoyed the nuts while sitting in my lap. I observed that I was not alone in feeding those squirrels. A lot of people along with their children were doing the same.

It struck me that there are a lot of birds in Bahrain, especially sparrows and doves, but I never experienced such a thing here. Why? The answer was simple. In UK, the parents teach their children to be in love with nature. The children grow up with the impression that we all are earthlings and have equal right to enjoy and share the nature and environment. That is why humans and animal live there in a peaceful manner. In the cities of Dundee and Saint Andrews, I saw rabbits moving in bushes on roadsides just like the cats in Bahrain. Nobody was teasing them, as people there feel that these animals and birds add to the beauty of their lands.

I reached the conclusion that we have to educate parents before the children so that they could train their children to show respect and care for all living beings. The older members of the family could play a pivotal role in such training of children.

Naeem Yousuf,
By email