Long time no see! Any types of birds/animals heavily related to mythology?

[Rae'ya]

I'm thinking more of a primitive survival situation hundreds if not thousands of miles away from modern civilization; where there are no domestic animals; only wild ones. My apologies if that was unclear.

Which brings up an interesting debate in ethics. Is it ethical just because there is no domestic alternative available? That may depend on your husbandry methods but at the end of the day, wild hunting is likely to be more ethical than capture and keep. There is a great deal more to proper animal welfare than what we feed them and how quickly we kill them.

[Sollomyn]

Which brings up an interesting debate in ethics. Is it ethical just because there is no domestic alternative available? That may depend on your husbandry methods but at the end of the day, wild hunting is likely to be more ethical than capture and keep. There is a great deal more to proper animal welfare than what we feed them and how quickly we kill them.

Indeed; animal husbandry skills would definitely be important to have.

Interesting ethical debate for sure; on the one hand, if one's husbandry methods are of high quality, then it might actually be more ethical to farm animals instead of running for miles through the jungle in search of prey. Such a task takes a lot of energy and calories; if you had to do it every single day in a primitive environment, then you risk not having enough time or energy to procure water and purify it for drinking, or make repairs to your shelter and tools. Without the combination of farming and gardening on your land close to home, almost all of your time would be spent just trying to find food, and you'd probably be starving in the process, and thus shakey; unbalanced. Hunting in such a weakened condition can be very dangerous.

As for wolves... that's not really how wolves work. Wolves are one of the most misunderstood, misrepresented and over-romanticised species out there. It saddens me to see the way well-meaning but misguided people have perpetuated these sorts of innacuracies. Most tame wolves are not happy. They have very specific social and environmental needs that can not be met by a single 'bonded' human. The ones that do reasonably 'well' as pets/companions tend to be those that show more characteristics associated with the eventual domestication of canid and vulpine species... with less ability to function harmoniously within typical wolf social structures. Wolves are are fascinating species in the fairly unique position of being extant with their evolved domesticated cousins.

Fascinating; I didn't know that. Thanks for informing me.

...but the short answer is that humane euthanasia is typically the most ethical choice for badly injured wildlife.

Indeed; that would be ideal. I might have to look into how to create my own euthanasia in the wilderness, but as it stands for me right now, the best way of putting the animal out of it's misery in a primitive setting would be to chop it's head off with an ax, swinging as hard as I could with all my strength as fast as possible to make sure that I cleave through the spinal cord on the first stroke, severing it's nervous system from it's brain so that at least the pain will have stopped. It'd be messy, but more ethical than just leaving the animal there to suffer for hours on end before finally dying.

[Thorbjorn]

Are there any types of birds heavily related to mythology and in ancient epics

Garuda is the vāhana (mount, carrier) of Vishnu in Hinduism.

Garuda-King-Birds_ShriHub.jpg garuda-puran-img-798874_l.jpg

[B. de Corbin]

Can Garuda birds be domesticated? Because I want one.

[Thorbjorn]

Can Garuda birds be domesticated? Because I want one.

I think he's the one and only.

[Optimistic discord]

What should one do if there's no way to contact a wildlife rehabilitator? A lot of cultures don't have cell-phones or offcial rehabilitators.

I don't think I could ever bring myself to just leave the injured animal to die a slow, agonizing death all alone.

That would leave me with two options: A) Kill the animal as quickly as I can so that it doesn't have to suffer any longer. Or B) Try to use herbal medicines, water, clothsand bandages to begin nursing the animal back to health.

...Chances are I'd go with Option A, because trying to heal a wild animal can be extremely dangerous, and probably because I'd be hungry at the time, and Nature just gave me several dozen pounds of fresh meat and fur clothing for the winter.

If it was a wolf though...I'd honestly probably be tempted to nurse it back to health instead. Wolves are incredibly loyal creatures, and if I could put myself in the wolf's good graces, then they may decided to form a bond with me. We'd be a lot stronger together, and he or she would be able to warn me of any threats or opportunities in the immediate area; that could be a huge advantage in the wilderness......on the other hand, wolves are also one of the fiercest and most territorial creatures; depending on how strong they are in their current injured state, they just might try to snap at me; canine bites are pretty deep, (I've been bitten before), and in the wild, such an injury could be fatal; especially if the wolf happened to be rabid.

Hi,
In the example you have given, a serious consideration is the legality of the treatment you may attempt.
In many Western nations it is a criminal offence to conduct what is classed as veterinary medicine as a lay person. Depending on region this precludes anything that is not basic first aid. This gets even more complicated when you factor in various wildlife legislations.

Regarding wolves:
I can't think of an animal that is surrounded by more fantasy and mistruths than the wolf .
Everything from their behaviour and biology, to evolutionary ties to dogs is horribly misrepresented.

Back to your exams of the wounded animal, if you were unable to contact a professional wildlife rehabilitation/hospital/veterinary professional, then quite often the best course is going to be humane euthanasia.
Again, that could have regional legal stipulations.

[Celtic_]

Oof came back to more misreadings.

I never said I was going to domesticate a wild animal, I said if ethical and morally correct than yes, such as saving one.

However will most likely just go out and interact with nature as I mentioned before and someone else did too, bonding with wild animals.

Rest assured I won't make a stupid decision, any decision I make will have a lot of forethought put into it.

I am very aware that domesticating wild animals that don't wish to be and aren't injured is definitely classified as animal abuse and I don't intend to do any such thing.

Was just asking for information, and am annoyed by people thinking I lack common sense e-e

No hate to anyone and thanks for all of the responses <3

[Optimistic discord]

Oof came back to more misreadings.

I never said I was going to domesticate a wild animal, I said if ethical and morally correct than yes, such as saving one.

However will most likely just go out and interact with nature as I mentioned before and someone else did too, bonding with wild animals.

Rest assured I won't make a stupid decision, any decision I make will have a lot of forethought put into it.

I am very aware that domesticating wild animals that don't wish to be and aren't injured is definitely classified as animal abuse and I don't intend to do any such thing.

Was just asking for information, and am annoyed by people thinking I lack common sense e-e

No hate to anyone and thanks for all of the responses <3

Just providing info
I'm pretty much legally and professionally obliged to do so.

Do you have access to a garden?
I ask because as patronising as it sounds, they can be fantastic places to start from. And just having that immediate area of nature at hand is such an improvement to our lives.

We're very excited this year because we have a family of slow-worms living in our green house, newts and frogs breeding in our tiny plastic pond, and a hedgehog lurking around too.
Combine that with our various bug hotels and bee friendly wildlife patches. It's awesome.

Just by proximity we effect nature, the slow-worms are perhaps the most tolerant of our presence, they'll often come out and investigate when we're watering the tomato plants and fruit bushes in the green house.
Angry looking lizards that they are.

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Back to the topic of birds..
Ones I know of with obvious pagan ties:
Swans,doves,cranes/herons, crows/ravens/rooks, magpies,Robins,Eagles, Storks,Owls.

When you start to introduce Christianity to Europe, most birds with red on them get tied to the crucifixion, black birds become evil or fallen (many were considered white before hand) etc.

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Perhaps the Dove has the most enduring spiritual association as a bird of hope,goodwill and as a psychopomp.