DEAR READERS: The recent clamorous concern over the possibility of artificial intelligence leading to our extinction reflects our innate fear of the revolutionary discoveries and creations we humans have wrought -- beginning with fire! In contrast to this fear, some are seeking ways AI can serve the planet and all its creatures.

For example, AI can help in our conservation efforts and perhaps help prevent animal extinctions. According to a paper in Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AI is being used to link and analyze disparate datasets, creating an internet of animals (IoA) that scientists can use to detect disease outbreaks and manage endangered species. The IoA is already being used to predict migratory bird patterns via "lights-out" initiatives and to predict the location of whales so shipping vessels don't hit them. Future uses could include monitoring diseases, tracking weather and ensuring animals endangered by climate change find suitable habitat, says co-author Roland Kays of North Carolina State University. (Full story: news.ncsu.edu, May 30)

INDIA'S CHEETAH REINTRODUCTION FAILURE

The future of the world's first intercontinental cheetah-introduction program is under question when news broke that three relocated adult cheetahs, plus three of their cubs, had died within eight months.

Last September, the ambitious Project Cheetah was launched, with great fanfare, with the aim of introducing the South African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) into Kuno National Park and bolstering the vulnerable species. Critics say the park is too small for the intended number of animals, and that local farmers had not been properly prepared. "The fact that we had multiple [adult] deaths occurring in a short space of time is not unusual in the sense that it's the high-risk period," says veterinarian Adrian Tordiffe, a consultant for the project. However, "I wasn't expecting these cubs to succumb," he says. While a subspecies of cheetah once lived in India, the cats have long been extinct there. (Full story: Nature.com, June 7)

BAFFLING NEW EDUCATION POLICIES IN INDIA

Schoolchildren in India will no longer be taught about evolution, the periodic table of elements, sustainability or pollution, nor about energy sources such as fossil fuels. Chapters on all of these topics have been cut from the textbooks and curricula for students aged 11–18. India's National Council of Educational Research and Training, which is behind the changes, has not yet explained its rationale to teachers and parents. Experts are baffled, and more than 4,500 have signed an appeal to reinstate the axed content. (Full story: Nature.com, May 31)

In my opinion, this action is intended to quell any student unrest and protests while India continues mining and burning coal, plus cutting down trees to burn for cremating the dead.

DEAR DR. FOX: I appreciate your sharing some philosophy in your column when it comes to human nature and how we treat nature, as well as each other. One of my heroes is the Russian Pyotr Kropotkin, who documented the importance of mutual aid between animals -- even of different species -- in contrast with Charles Darwin's view of competition and survival of the fittest. You and your readers may enjoy learning more about him. -- R.E., Washington, D.C.

DEAR R.E.: I appreciate your interest in this area of natural philosophy, exploring the roots of human nature and evolutionary processes of survival. In my view, both Darwin and Kropotkin are half right, as I discuss in this post: drfoxonehealth.com/post/the-importance-of-natural-biodiversity-for-human-health-and-well-being.

I see this essential duality in nature -- predation, competition, mutual aid and symbiosis -- reflected in human nature. Natural ecosystems are in a constant, dynamic state of flux and tension wherein predators, parasites and pathogens help sustain biodiversity and control destructive overpopulation by herbivores and invasive species. For our own survival, and that of our planet, we need to err on the side of empathy and mutual aid. We cannot continue to act as a global infestation, both predatorial and parasitic.

Another great Russian, Leo Tolstoy, declared, "A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral."

Considering our world population is now around 8 billion, we must acknowledge the contribution of animal agriculture to the loss of biodiversity -- mass extinctions of species and ecosystems -- and the climate crisis. While the crisis itself is irreversible, we can slow its momentum, beginning by reducing all carbon emissions.

Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky put into words what I have always felt: "Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love."

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: What is your opinion of this article? Link: aeon.co/essays/dogs-on-indias-streets-can-be-freer-and-happier-than-many-pets.

It states that urban street dogs in India "have independent, peaceful, happy lives without a pet's constraints," and asks, "Why are they being persecuted and culled?" -- K.K., Northbrook, Illinois

DEAR K.K.: Thanks for sharing this essay and its rather distorted opinion.

The authors are Krithika Srinivasan of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and Chris Pearson of the University of Liverpool in the UK. Both need a reality check.

They state, "Wandering the streets of Chennai in southern India, we saw them dozing alone or in company on pavements, seeking shelter from the heat under a van, watching children playing on the beach, or being cared for by local residents. Part of Indian street life, these free-living dogs stand in stark contrast to the culture of pet ownership found in the West. Not only do they defy the image of the out-of-control and marauding canine stalking the sensationalist articles of 19th-century newspapers in Western Europe and North America, they ask us to question our sanitized cities and stewardship of a world with nature at so much risk."

It is easy to contrast the "freedom" of Indian street dogs with the lives of pet dogs in the West, but the U.S. has its own regions where dogs can be found roaming free, running in packs and injuring or killing small livestock -- and even attacking people. Futhermore, in the U.S. and other so-called developed countries, too many dogs suffer from inherited disorders (especially purebreds) and separation anxiety when left alone all day, often in crates, until their owners come home. Clearly, there are problems at both ends of this spectrum.

Humane, compassionate control is called for -- everywhere -- for the domesticated dog, including these aboriginal landrace varieties. In India, many of these wonderful "pariah" dogs suffer from a variety of diseases and are injured by traffic, but receive no veterinary care. Many of them are systematically poisoned or otherwise inhumanely killed to control their numbers, while others are harvested for the meat markets and pelt trade. And some village dogs are now crossbreeding, for better or for worse, with European breeds introduced and owned by affluent residents.

The authors of the article advocate peaceful co-existence with street dogs, which I find unacceptable for many reasons. In this case, the attitude of "live and let live" is an abdication of ethical responsibility for our oldest and most loyal of animal companions.

For more details, see the book "India's Animals: Helping the Sacred and the Suffering," which I co-authored with my wife, Deanna Krantz, who ran an animal shelter and provided full veterinary services in India for several years. She and her team spayed/neutered, vaccinated and rehomed many dogs in small communities, treating many animals for diseases and injuries that are much more prevalent in urban environments. We brought two of these dogs home to the U.S. and they are indeed intelligent, resilient, affectionate souls!

We continue to support Prakriti Save Nature Trust, an animal and environmental protection organization in South India that is run by Dr. M. Sugumaran and his son (both veterinarians). This is a registered charity that would welcome the support of any and all readers of this column. For details, visit prakritigudalur.in. For instructions on donating, send an email to prakrithiindia@gmail.com.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I live in Cottage Grove, Oregon, surrounded by farmed forests that lately have been sprayed with large amounts of herbicides. Since 2014, we have had sprays a mile away drift onto our property or come down in the rain. I see the effects on our plants in the spring and fall.

I saw your article on chronic wasting disease and wondered if my goats have this sickness. This spring, two goats in my herd have lost a lot of weight and are moving very slowly. They are older -- one is 11 years old and the other is 8 -- but goats this age can still be very healthy.

I suspect they have CWD. Should I take one to the university vet for testing? How does one test for this? -- K.G., Cottage Grove, Oregon

DEAR K.G.: Chronic wasting disease from deer is reportedly not transmissible to goats. For details, visit aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/nvap/NVAP-Reference-Guide/Control-and-Eradication/Chronic-Wasting-Disease.

But the herbicide (and possible insecticide) drift from the nearby managed forests could be affecting the population of beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms in your goats' digestive systems, causing them some dysbiosis. Infusing them with boluses of regurgitated food from healthy, nonexposed goats may help.

If I were you, I would determine exactly what chemicals were sprayed near your property, then contact the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University. I will send you several reference citations that may be helpful.

K.G. REPLIES: Sadly, the older goat died. She had been fine two months ago; her symptoms began after I started noticing damage on plants again this spring. I did contact the Oregon State vet clinic, and they suggested I send the animal's head to the diagnostic lab for analysis. I will keep you posted on what they find.

Unfortunately, the forestry management group lists many herbicides they might possibly use, but they don't tell us which ones they actually use. In the past, they have used glyphosate, clopyralid, hexazinone and many others. They often mix them.

I have grown food for over 25 years, and three separate times, neighbors in different areas applied herbicides with backpack sprayers in their own yards. Each time, a couple weeks later, my garden suffered. I know what it looks like; I have years of photos I have taken of the damage on plants. It truly is heartbreaking to see the damage on trees and plants, both cultivated and wild.

Now, living here in the country, I see it every year since 2014, when the first spray helicopter flew over our home to a spray site a mile away. We all became sick with vomiting, and about two weeks later, the plants looked sickly. They have since sprayed off and on in the spring and fall, and I hear they are about to start using drones.

We formed these groups to try to change forestry practices: freedomfromaerialherbicides.org and protectlanecountywatersheds.org.

A CARING COVENANT FOR ALL CAT OWNERS

For cats' health and welfare, for the protection of wildlife and of public health, every municipality should have an Owned Cat Ordinance forbidding all such cats from roaming free off their owners' property. This would be a reasonable, responsible covenant for all who care for cats.

Per a new law in the U.K., all cat owners must have their cats microchipped by June 10, 2024. Owners found not to have complied will have 21 days to have a chip implanted, or otherwise face a fine of up to 500 pounds. For more, visit www.gov.uk/government/news/treasured-pets-now-safer-as-microchipping-for-cats-becomes-compulsory.

This mandatory microchipping is a small step, and should be followed by advocating for legislation for the containment of all owned cats. The multiple risks and potential harms of free-roaming cats far outweigh any proclaimed behavioral/psychological benefits for such cats.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)