Whales Quote by Herman Melville
““Comparing the humped herds of whales with the humped herds of buffalo, which, not forty years ago, overspread by tens of thousands the prairies of Illinois and Missouri, and shook their iron manes””
About This Quote
Source Book: Moby-Dick by Herman Melville, 1851
The quote juxtaposes massive herds of whales and buffalo to illustrate how nature once dominated vast landscapes, emphasizing the power and scale of wildlife before human alteration.
In simple terms: Nature once covered huge areas with massive animal groups.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the historic scale of natural ecosystems.
Themes
nature
scale
history
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
observational
historical
When to use this quote
- conservation education
- landscape photography
- wildlife documentaries
Key Concepts
Ecology
environmental change
anthropocene
Questions to Reflect On
- How would ecosystems differ without these massive herds?
- What can we learn from past wildlife abundance?
A Different Perspective
Modern development has drastically reduced such herds.
![“[Footnote:] Pliny the Elder described a Whale called "Balaena or Whirlpool, which is so long and broad as to take up more in length and breadth than two acres of ground." This brings up again the old question: Are the classics doomed? Our ancestors believed that four years of this sort of…” quote by Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1c1/will-cuppy-7569_acres_footnote-pliny-the-elder-described-a-wha_84284.jpg)
