The Freek Vonk effect is something we’ve been aware of for a while, but I’m now finally seeing around me how his wild enthusiasm is generating a whole new generation of little Freek Vonks. Sometimes my work takes me to the zoo, and recently my son’s teacher happened to be off sick on one of those days. Better it falls on a zoo day than on a day packed with serious meetings I’d really rather not miss. So off we went – into the car, and he came along for the ride.
We brought binoculars, a hefty animal encyclopaedia, and of course Freek’s podcast played the entire journey. So by the time we arrived, we were well and truly in biologist mode. As it happens, the zoo’s own biologist also has strong Vonk energy, so we jumped into a jeep and tore through the rain across the whole park in search of the best birds for our research. My son in the front seat, deadly serious about spotting birds, and at the same time utterly awestruck by near-extinct deer species – something that’s only possible when you have Brabant’s most enthusiastic biologist behind the wheel. We had a fantastic time.
On a day like that, the conversation isn’t just about how amazing animals are, but also how important they are. What do animals actually contribute? Why do they exist? And how bad would it really be if there were no more mosquitoes? There seems to be a genuine understanding of ecological systems and the relationships between plants and animals and all those tiny things in the soil. Places on earth they may never visit – because how much longer can we keep flying? – suddenly feel close and important. The nature there deserves just as much protection as the nature here. And you notice it at home too. They eat very little meat, because that’s bad for the planet. Children in the neighbourhood actively pick up plastic, because of the fish and so on. Even when it isn’t entirely clear what exactly the problem is, it’s obvious to these young Freek Vonks that something needs to be done – and that they can do something about it.
On a day like that, the conversation isn’t just about how amazing animals are, but also how important they are
Not that we were complete planetary destroyers in the past, of course. ‘It’s just as easy to put it in the bin’ still echoes in my head. There was certainly some awareness of nature and how to look after it around you. Even so, I have the feeling that it matters a great deal more nowadays. And that being a nature conservationist is considered considerably cooler.
It really is something, how a wildly popular biologist can bring about an entire young generation of nature lovers who understand how important it is to protect the planet. Who grasp what it means when a species goes extinct, and what they themselves can do to take care of the earth. I love the fact that biology has suddenly become incredibly cool. Makes me feel just a little bit cooler myself.
Michelle Spierings works as a behavioural biologist at the Institute of Biology Leiden and the University of Vienna, researching speech, song, and cognitive development in human infants, common marmosets, budgerigars, and zebra finches.