Gary Larson - Conservationist

My aunt got me The Far Side desk calendar for Christmas, which I opened up in my office today. Gary Larson stopped drawing The Far Side over a decade ago, so I guess it's a little odd that he is releasing a calendar of his work. It turns out that he is re-releasing the 2001 calendar and donating all author royalties from this calendar to Conservation International (reportedly $2 million), a non-profit group that helps protect wildlife habitats worldwide. Specifically, the money support CI's efforts to halt illegal wildlife trafficking. Gary Larson, I applaud the effort.

Read more about CI's work at http://www.conservation.org/trade


To whom it may concern (and I hope it's you),

I have this idea for a science fiction movie: Aliens arrive on Earth, and they are initially benevolent toward humans until a rumor starts among them that the human pancreas – when dried and processed into a cream – can help alleviate sore tentacles. It's a false rumor, of course, but we all know how rumors can take root and flourish. Anyway, it's a moot point on whether it's true or not, because the bottom line in my movie is that we're all – forgive me – getting creamed.

Okay, I admit it – my idea is rather unoriginal. All I've managed to do is come up with a little twist on something that's been happening to much of our planet's wildlife for some time, and at a quickening pace. Whatever our shortsighted or uneducated motivation may be, it's good old Homo sapiens that are inexorably pushing many species toward the eternal abyss. It's like watching a bad movie, and it doesn't even have any aliens in it.

For me, things have come somewhat full-circle on this subject. I've derived so much inspiration from wildlife around the globe, I feel a certain indebtedness to the natural world for my career. And, frankly, it's a little uncomfortable to get laughs about animals who in reality are facing desperate times. That's why I'm donating all author royalties from The Far Side® Gallery 2007 Off-the-Wall Calendar to Conservation International (CI), a not-for-profit group that helps protect wildlife habitats worldwide. Specifically, the money will support CI's efforts to halt illegal trafficking in wildlife. Tigers are poached for their bones to be used in traditional medicines. Turtles, frogs, and giant salamanders end up as gourmet dishes. Sharks are killed for fins, orang-utans taken as pets, elephants poached for ivory. The list goes on, and the demand is emptying entire ecosystems.

CI is training local law enforcement in anti-poaching and anti-smuggling and educating consumers and decision-makers. Local people are very much involved in CI projects, which help communities benefit from conservation. I believe CI's work will keep our non-human neighbors from becoming mere memories. To quote from an old Joni Mitchell song, "You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone." And, folks, there ain't no greater meaning to the word "gone" than extinction. And to quote from my own movie script, "Gorak! Always squeeze the tentacle cream from the bottom of the tube!"

Most seriously, please take time to learn more about CI's work and how you can help by visiting www.conservation.org/trade.

— Gary Larson