Reddit mentions: The best nature & wildlife photography books

Autogenerated.

I am Brian Skerry, Shark Photographer for National Geographic. AMA!

Edit: Thanks for all your questions! I'm signing off now, but really enjoyed talking with you all.

Hi Reddit, I’m Brian Skerry, a photojournalist specializing in marine wildlife and underwater environments. Since 1998, I have photographed stories for National Geographic magazine covering a wide range of subjects, and I was named a National Geographic Photography Fellow in 2014.

Sharks are my passion; I have photographed them for nearly 4 decades. For the artist within me, sharks represent an endless well of inspiration, a blend of grace and power that lures me into the sea time after time in hopes of producing a new rendering that truly captures their essence. They move through the sea with exquisite elegance, almost ethereal, yet exude supreme confidence and strength. However, as a journalist, I am driven by a sense of responsibility and a sense of urgency to broadcast what I have learned from my nearly four decades exploring oceans: sharks are in trouble and need our help.

My new book, Shark, is a collection of my images of these magnificent predators and my appeal to the public to save these key species who are so crucial to the health of the oceans.

I’m very excited to be here today and looking forward to any questions you may have. My assistant helping me by typing, but rest assured, I am reading and answering all your questions; responses are 100% my words, and I am picking the questions.

AMA!

Book available here: https://www.amazon.com/Shark-Brian-Skerry/dp/1426219105/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1496775423&sr=8-14&keywords=shark

Check out images from the book here: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/books/features/12-jaw-dropping-photos-of-sharks/

Read more about me here: https://www.brianskerry.com/

Proof: http://imgur.com/a/FS8wp

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Slow-moving-sloth :

Hello there, Brian…can you tell me about your encounter with the Oarfish, aka

enormous sea serpent? How did that come about?

BrianSkerry :

Yeah, thanks for asking! I encountered an Oarfish in 1996 in the Bahamas. I

was actually there photographing sharks in a place known as the Tongue of the

Ocean, which is a deepwater trench. I noticed something just at the edge of

visibility in the distance, and at first, thought it was some type of large

fishing lure, that was maybe being towed by a sport fishing boat. But

curiosity got the best of me, and I swam out towards it. As I approached

closer, I realized it was a living animal, but it was bizarre, like nothing

I'd ever seen before. The animal was about 10 feet long, laterally flat, and

only maybe 3 inches wide. It was shiny silver, it had very large eyes, and a

crest at the top of its head like a bird. It was oriented vertically in the

water column and had two thin, monofilament-like appendages (called pelvic

rays) that extended out below its gills on either side of its body, making it

look almost like a cross drifting in the water. When the animal saw me, it

rotated its pelvic rays alongside its body, and then sank vertically into the

depths like a sword that had been dropped in the water. I didn't know what it

was, but after a bit of research, realized it was indeed an Oarfish, the

animal that inspired sea serpent legends, and learned that this was the first

time that this animal had been photographed alive. It was a very cool

experience.

-----------------------------------------------------------


Zan_H :



Who is your favourite Beatle?

BrianSkerry :

I love them all, but I've always been a John fan, though McCartney is

brilliant and I love him too.

-----------------------------------------------------------


Emil__M :



My family went to see the exhibition at the National Geographic last week and

really enjoyed it. The kids were a little nervous that the lighting was too

dark, but quickly got over it and enjoyed trying on shark chain mail and

pretending to be in a shark cage. Keep up the good work! Do you think there

have any ideas how to discourage killing of sharks for the fin soup? Is the

soup for nutrition or some sort of folk remedy to promote big boners?

BrianSkerry :

Thanks for visiting the exhibit, and glad you enjoyed it! I do think there

are ways that we can discourage the killing of sharks for shark fin soup.

There have been some successful campaigns in Asia using celebrities to talk

about not eating shark fin soup and why sharks are important to our planet. I

believe that if we can educate people to the magnificence of sharks, and show

them for what they really are and not just a shadowy, one-dimensional demon

that poses a threat, we can move the dial in favor of conservation. This has

been a big part of my work and what my new book, Shark, is about.

-----------------------------------------------------------


PMMEYOURSMALLTITTIES :



Have you ever been bitten? And if so how bad?

BrianSkerry :

No, I haven't.

-----------------------------------------------------------


emelexista407 :



What's your favorite shark to photograph?

BrianSkerry :

Difficult to single out only one species, but right now, my favorite shark to

photograph is the mako shark.

-----------------------------------------------------------


MattBaster :



Aside from over-fishing for their fins, what are some lesser-known, but very

valid threats to general shark populations?

BrianSkerry :

See previous answer, but also to be more specific, most scientists tell us

that to have a healthy ocean, which includes predators like sharks, we need

at least 30-40% of ocean habitats to be protected. Currently, only about 3%

of the ocean is protected. Sharks are one component of these complex

underwater ecosystems and will benefit greatly by the creation of more marine

reserves. The threats are the fact that we don't have enough protected places

– they're vulnerable because their ecosystems are breaking down.

-----------------------------------------------------------


Ampluvia :



Could you give tips for people about taking good photos?

BrianSkerry :

I would say the first tip for taking good photos is to be passionate about

your subject. If you have a real interest in the thing you're photographing,

you will not become bored, and you'll want to continue to work it until you

have the perfect image. It's also important of course, to understand the

fundamentals of photography, of exposure, and light, and composition. But

once you understand those basics, don't be afraid to experiment and break the

rules sometimes. Ultimately photography is about your individual vision,so

use your eye to communicate from your heart.

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IamAbot_v01. Alpha version. Under care of /u/oppon.
Comment 1 of 3
Updated at 2017-06-16 11:04:13.439520

This is the final update to this thread

Fruit by Stuppy and Kesseler is packed full of gorgeous scanning electron micrographs (and other pictures too) and a lot of very detailed but very readable information. I can not reccomend it highly enough. Seeds and Pollen are also very good. I have not read it (just found it now, going straight on my wishlist) but The Bizzare and Incredible World of Plants, also by Stuppy is almost certainly excellent.

It's a bit technical and dry, but Plant Form, by Adrian Bell is one of my favorite reference books of all time. The information is fascinating, and the diagrams are gorgeous. There's a free online copy available (legal, I think) if you would like to have a look, but I would highly recomend a physical copy, and it's pretty cheap as far as reference books go. Flip through the section on Tree Architecture starting at page 296 for a sample of how cool it is. Read and understand that section and you will be amazed at the things you will start noticing about plants around you.

For plant ID, I can not reccomend Botany in a Day highly enough for a quite comprehensive tutorial in how to recognize plant groups (which makes it orders of magnitude easier to come up with a more specific ID). It's a classic, and is a required text for just about every field botany class.

Getting a good guide to your local plants that is based on dichotomous keys and diagrams rather than photos and learning how to use it is an absolute must if you want to move past the basics for IDing plants in your area. Without knowing your location, it's impossible to give good recomendations, but the Jepson Manual is a good example of what you should be looking for, and by far the best guide to California plants. Unfortunately these sorts of books are usually fairly pricey, and can be pretty impenetrable without practice (helps a lot if you already have a general idea of what it is), so you might hold off on getting one until a much later date. You can get older editions for cheaper, but at least in the case of Jepson's, most of the changes involve more diagrams and easier to use keys, so it might not be worth it.

There are loads of others that are slipping my mind at the moment, I will add them later if I remember.

I often remember the sweetness and forgiveness animals demonstrate. Ron the chimp, who is on the cover of the We Animals book, was kept in a 5x5x7 foot cage suspended above the floor for most of his life before being rescued by Save the Chimps. He was such a lovely and gentle guy. His story is here: https://www.amazon.com/We-Animals-Jo-Anne-McArthur/dp/159056426X/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377030078&sr=1-6&keywords=we+animals

I've met bears who were kept in "crush cages" for years before being rescued, bears who have had their paws cut off to make bear paw soup, and yet after their rescue (the lucky few), they are kind to humans. Pretty special!!! I do try to focus on the good happening out there. There were 17 foxes rescued from a fur farm in Poland just the other day. I have a big, beautiful, positive project called Unbound, w/ my co-author Keri Cronin about women on the front lines of animal advocacy. www.unboundproject.org

+joannemcarthur:

I often remember the sweetness and forgiveness animals demonstrate. Ron the chimp, who is on the cover of the We Animals book, was kept in a 5x5x7 foot cage suspended above the floor for most of his life before being rescued by Save the Chimps. He was such a lovely and gentle guy. His story is here: https://www.amazon.com/We-Animals-Jo-Anne-McArthur/dp/159056426X/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377030078&sr=1-6&keywords=we+animals

I've met bears who were kept in "crush cages" for years before being rescued, bears who have had their paws cut off to make bear paw soup, and yet after their rescue (the lucky few), they are kind to humans. Pretty special!!! I do try to focus on the good happening out there. There were 17 foxes rescued from a fur farm in Poland just the other day. I have a big, beautiful, positive project called Unbound, w/ my co-author Keri Cronin about women on the front lines of animal advocacy. www.unboundproject.org

Seek out any astronomy clubs in your area. Most metro areas and smaller cities will usually have one. Google, Astronomical Societies or Clubs or check in with your local College or University. I've found their members to be more than happy to help and share knowledge and most will have monthly meet ups where you can bring your telescope and learn alongside others.

I am very much an amateur/backyard astronomer. May I suggest the book Backyard Astronomer's Guide as a great place to start. I use it quite a bit.

The great thing about Astronomy is you can spend an entire evening challenging yourself to find galaxies, nebulas and clusters within a single constellation. Congrats on your new addition and have fun!!

oh, why let me help you fellow redditor

https://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Their-People-Stories-Four-Legged/dp/0399574263

let me tell you, I'm totally not paid to type this, and I know you're not either and you aren't me, but I really love this book, its hilarious and it captures the playful spirit of any of our beautiful pups!

Destination Instagram: Five Incredible Experiences Perfect for Mobile Photograph

Description: A guide on how to capture the moment at five destinations ranging from sandy beaches to jungles and more.

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.”

-Bill Bryson


Take the world by storm. A guide to the top five travel destinations and experiences that are guaranteed to inspire you to travel more and become a better photographer. Explore sandy beaches, the depths of the jungle and the cliffs of a European gem. Find your true wonderlust.

Price: Currently on sale for $0.99 on Kindle

Besides all the really good ones already posted (Alex Wild and Thomas Shahan especially) I would definitely recommend browsing through Sam Droege's photos. He photographs bees (and sometimes other insects and small vertebrates) for the USGS, and all the photos are public domain, completely free to use. I've watched Sam work, and the extent to which he'll go for a perfect specimen is crazy; he'll give 20-year old dried specimens "baths" in dish soap and warm water, blow-dry them, and then go to work picking off any flecks of dust or fibres using ridiculously pared-down camelhair brushes. And yet his camera set-up is basically just a DSLR on a sled covered in a styrofoam cooler box. He recently put out a book full of gorgeous pictures of bees from around the world, with natural history comments by melittologist Laurence Packer. Definitely worth checking out.

Check out Hidden Lives of Wolves By Jim and Jamie Dutcher. Fantastic book with amazing photography. This one gives a good overview of wolves, their behavior and their social and emotional lives, along with the Dutcher's amazing photography. This one goes more into the "feels" of wolf life, why and how they play, form families, and grieve. This was written by two naturalists/filmmakers rather than a biologist, so they go much deeper into the psychology of wolves than other books. On that note, check out Carl Safina's Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel for a wonderful treatise on animal thought and emotion, a field that has largely been ignored by behaviorists in the past. Carl takes a look at elephants, wolves, dogs, and orcas in this book.

For more hard science, in-depth ecology and behavior, check out L. David Mech's Wolves: Ecology, Behavior and Conservation This is more of a textbook, very fact-based, written by one of the godfathers of wolf research and is fairly up to date with the latest research. These, along with the other recommendations in this thread, would be my go-to's for wolf behavior.

I get shit like that too. I'm into the shooty stuff in a big way and, god bless them, my family throws cheap, worthless shit at me (like repro M1 Carbine mag pouches when I don't have one). They are sweet as hell, but are bad at presents. That's fine because I don't give a shit; I don't want anyone to buy me anything in the first place. And, truth be told, I'm probably worse at presents. I just turned 30 and got a book on owls from my folks... I think I mentioned owls maybe twice in the last few years. But I do like owls. I'll always keep it and love it because it reminds me of them and the love I have for them. It's also a really good book: https://www.amazon.com/Enigma-Owl-Illustrated-Natural-History/dp/0300222734

I recommend it if you want to see cool pictures of owls and read neat shit about them.

We just got our copy of the BarkBox book and its ADORABLE. Totally encourage buying or sharing. Dogs wearing pants. Poop jokes. Heartwarming stories. Love it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399574263?creativeASIN=0399574263&linkCode=w01&linkId=ZRP3BTKKWU4X3STQ&ref_=as_sl_pc_ss_til&tag=1988-bg-in-ny-20

great question! robert is an awesome photographer but he actually considers himself more of an author. he's had dozens of photography books published but his recent remembering africa is probably the best you'll get (for now). however i think it's more about his tales living in africa, and covers his friends/acquaintances stories of their experiences in africa. i haven't talked to him for awhile but maybe i can get some more awesome stories from him!

Joel Sartore Is great! I ordered an autographed book from him a few months ago, and it's really nice. Here's the link on Amazon if you're interested! His Instagram is also pretty awesome!

> Actually it does! It’s really cool but in forests the trees sort of divide up sections of the sky by which they harvest sunlight. Trees in forests grow exponentially slower than trees in an open field.

You are right they do grow faster. But slow growth is better for trees and the microenvironment that they create. Faster growth leads to weaker/less healthy trees. Source.

In regards to your request for an inspirational landscape photo book I would recommend checking out anything form Ansel Adams of course, but also Tim Ernst. Ernst is a landscape guy out of Arkansas, my home state, and has some pretty amazing work. Arkansas Autumn is one of my personal favorites from him.

I hope this isn't looked at as inappropriate. I share this only to say that you are right about the trees. They are truly amazing beings. I always feel safe in the trees. They will absolutely protect the little ones.

I'm disappointed really; almost no wolves live in my state, and the 50 that currently do are under heavy protest by ranchers. (Even being hunted down).Our fear of them is irrational, as there are certainly more dog attacks than wolf attacks. They are such beautiful animals, but humans seem to have a loveworship/hate attachment to them. I'd love to hear a wolf howl, maybe even get to see a pack roaming in a national park.

People forget this side of wolves:http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/a1/77/f8/a177f8c86e5b5173f5032f8fe0d5d3c6.jpg

If you want to read more about them, these veteran wolf experts put together an awesome coffee table book that seems to pull in anybody who sees the cover. Best informative book I've read in awhile.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Hidden-Life-Wolves-Dutcher/dp/1426210124

That's what I love most about this series! The speech of trees with OA has a scientific basis. The trees help each other, nourish each other, and maintain a system that resembles a huge living organism.

I suggest you watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HPgqqdcQXA

And if you're interested, read this book, it's very enlightening: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Life-Trees-Communicate-Discoveries/dp/1771642483

I don't know about the analogy, but trees in general do this or some similar things.

There's a book called The Hidden Life of Trees that has some, IMO, pretty interesting stuff in there, if you're interested.

For example, the author even tells about a stump in an old beech (forest) I believe that had been cut down something like 150+ years ago that was still alive, as it was supported by the other trees.

Generally, forests will apparently support sick individual trees, potentially because if a forest loses a tree then the sunlight gets through which evaporates moisture and changes the milieu of the forest floor.

I picked up a copy of Evolution on a whim and have really enjoyed reading it. It's classified as a textbook, but it really reads more like a layman's science magazine, with short 2-5 page chapters that cover a certain concept, accompanied by beautiful grayscale pictures of various skeletons.

There's a book out there called "Old Dogs are the Best Dogs" that gives loving tributes to the lives of different old dogs. It's a sweet book and it really makes you appreciate your dog's quirks.

As for a coffee-table type book, maybe We Animals by JoAnne McArthur. She's a great photographer that documents the ways animals are used not only for food, but for fashion and science as well. There's a documentary of her work on Netflix called 'The Ghosts in Our Machine' that I'd recommend watching as well, it's not overly graphic like Earthlings.

Edit: I'll add that I literally just bought this from Amazon and just got it today, havent gotten a chance to read it, but skimmed through, and the photos are very powerful.

You think animals don't have a conscience or morality? You may want to take a look at this

This

And also this that just warmed my heart today

For the record, not everyone was raised in the social environment that gave them an edge for taking things head on. I don't think it's fair of you to speak like you know how to solve everyone's problems and that they just need to toughen up. Their own coping mechanisms may just be the reason they continue on. As someone going into social work, I hope that you have an experience that broadens your views, in a way that I probably won't be able because hey, I'm just one stranger on the internet.

Have a good day~

np. I saw it posted (sorry can't remember who) right after I joined reddit. It's what helped me begin to understand how planned out and intricate Brit and Zal's story/puzzle is.

Beware, if you browse through past posts here or on r/forkingpaths it gets very addictive with sources from greek mythology to groundbreaking books to Leonara Carrington painter of SYGYZY & Q Symphony + the IRL Q Symphony, Nazi dream studies, this, etc. Plus theories like Fight Club HAP, forking paths from the start, interdimensional FBI (MIB), Sixth Sense Ending to S1, etc.

or just fun stuff. or things we want to believe, or ponder :)

How about a cool coffee table book like This one or a funny model like This frog

Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:


amazon.com

amazon.co.uk

amazon.ca

amazon.com.au

amazon.in

amazon.com.mx

amazon.de

amazon.it

amazon.es

amazon.com.br

amazon.nl

amazon.co.jp

amazon.fr

Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, amazon.nl, amazon.co.jp, amazon.fr, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.

Sure!

In terms of Western Science:

The Philosophy of Plants

OP also mentioned The Hidden Life of Trees (This one's a bit reductive, and Wohlleben's been accused of anthropomorphizing trees a bit too much by many ecologists)

This interview with Wohlleben at Yale360 is a good primer for his book *Free*

I've also mentioned Suzanne Simard and Stefano Mancuso. They've both done TED Talks on the subject which will pop up on a quick google search of their names. It's important to note, also, other thinkers have pushed back against their ideas!

In terms of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK):

EDIT: Forgot this AWESOME interview with Robin Wall Kimmerer, the author of the book below, a Citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, AND a plant ecologist *Free*

Braiding Sweetgrass (I'm sure with some googling you could find some PDF's of a couple chapters online)

As We Have Always Done

This article by Deborah McGregor is a good primer on the dangers of co-opting and viewing Indigenous Knowledge in a reductive way (that of the "Noble Savage," which one person in this thread was attempting to get at, I think)

I've been loving telephoto landscapes lately, especially the 100-200 (FF equiv) range but go as long as you can if necessary! Agree with makinbacon42 - haven't been to Tetons/WY yet but the photos I've seen look like a lot of distant peaks without strong wide-angle foreground interest, especially if the scene is just an expansive blanket of snow.

Also a fan of using reputable photography books as travel guides. Photographing the Southwest carried me through Utah a couple years ago.

Not sure a second body is necessary unless you're expecting sudden wildlife or you really hate changing lenses in the field.

Aside from the national parks, here are some places you should consider:

• Horseshoe Bend in Page, AZ
  
• Antelope Canyon in Page, AZ
  
• Dead Horse Point SP (near Canyonlands NP)
  
• Goblin Valley SP
  
  Here are 9 of my photos from Goblin Valley.
  
  How long you'll stay in each park will generally depend on how much hiking you'd like to do.
  
  Edit: Since you enjoy photography, I recommend Photographing the Southwest.

I came across a nice book ads last time in the subway the book is called : The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate. great read!

The most unique place- Jigokudani (Hell Valley) in Hokkaido. A bit out of the way but worth it. Here is a link to my photo guide book. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0758XRTP1/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1504496081&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=beth+matuska
99¢ or free with Kindle Unlimited

Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. I was in a bookstore and picked up this unassuming book with a picture of an ancient golden retriever on the front, and found myself unable to put it down. It was riveting in a way that is hard to describe. It definitely makes you consider philosophy, life, and mortality itself.

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is the standard answer to this question. It covers everything from objects in the night sky to types of equipment. You can likely find it SUPER cheap too. I think I bought my copy in a used bookstore for a dollar.

Get The Backyard Astronomer's Guide - best book on this subject

http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Astronomers-Guide-Terence-Dickinson/dp/0921820119

Go/Golang

https://github.com/bryfry/dpc197

I had a bit of fun with this. Implemented:

• ISBN-10 validation
  
• ISBN-10 check digit calculation
  
• ISBN-10 amazon lookup
  
• ISBN-10 neighbors (10) calculation & lookup
  
  Example output:
  
  dpc197 $ source env_example.sh
  
  dpc197 $ go run isbn.go -i 0761174427 -n
  Checking for valid ISBN: 0761174427
  ISBN-10: 0761174427 www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Loves-Heartwarming-Stories-Kingdom/dp/0761174427
  ----- Neighbor ISBNs -----
  0761174400 www.amazon.com/Hero-Dogs-2014-Wall-Calendar/dp/0761174400
  0761174419 www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Heroes-Inspiring-Stories-Courage/dp/0761174419
  0761174427 www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Loves-Heartwarming-Stories-Kingdom/dp/0761174427
  0761174435
  0761174443
  0761174451
  076117446X
  0761174478
  0761174486 www.amazon.com/Moms-Family-2014-Desk-Planner/dp/0761174486
  0761174494 www.amazon.com/Lego-Calendar-2014-Workman-Publishing/dp/0761174494
  ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
  
  dpc197 $ go run isbn.go -i 076117442X -n
  Checking for valid ISBN: 076117442X
  Not Valid ISBN-10: Invalid check digit: expected (7) received (X)
  Looking up expected ISBN-10: 0761174427
  ISBN-10: 0761174427 www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Loves-Heartwarming-Stories-Kingdom/dp/0761174427
  ----- Neighbor ISBNs -----
  0761174400 www.amazon.com/Hero-Dogs-2014-Wall-Calendar/dp/0761174400
  0761174419 www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Heroes-Inspiring-Stories-Courage/dp/0761174419
  0761174427 www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Loves-Heartwarming-Stories-Kingdom/dp/0761174427
  0761174435
  0761174443
  0761174451
  076117446X
  0761174478
  0761174486 www.amazon.com/Moms-Family-2014-Desk-Planner/dp/0761174486
  0761174494 www.amazon.com/Lego-Calendar-2014-Workman-Publishing/dp/0761174494
  

  ---

A little late to the party, but...

This does actually harm the tree. Cutting into a tree's outside bark will expose their inner bark (aka the phloem) which the tree uses to transport food all over the tree. If the inner bark is damaged and gets infected with bacteria/fungi then the tree will unknowingly transport the infection to the rest of itself and slowly die.

You can see in this picture that the tree has attempted to heal itself by producing a covering over the scratch marks people cut into it, and that's essentially scar tissue. It's weaker than the normal outer layer of bark, but is a quick fix to help the tree prevent infections.

If the tree does end up infected by either fungi or bacteria it will still likely live for another 10+ years because of the nature of how a tree grows and survives. The phloem only moves at something like 2cm/hr so for an infection to fully take over a tree it would take months on its own, and the tree has other internal defenses to attempt to prevent an infection that prolongs the lifespan even longer! And even still, the separate parts of the tree can live even if the trunk dies (i.e the roots or leaves), but if the trunk rots and becomes hollow the tree will likely fall over in a storm or strong gust of wind.

So, this tree is likely slowly dying, but is trying it's hardest to keep on keeping on! It can take tens of years for a tree to become weak enough to fall over or stop producing leaves, so this buddy will probably be around for a while longer.

Side note: if you're interested in this more, I would HIGHLY recommend reading The Hidden Life Of Trees because it is amazing.

These are the kind of posts I love to see on this sub. Thanks for initiating this discussion.

I think you may be referring to this book, a lot of the research you and u/RadOwl (cool name) ar discussing is in this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Life-Trees-Communicate_Discoveries-Secret/dp/1771642483

That isn't how this works. Those tusks won't grow long enough to pierce its skull until well after it has reproduced. Since long tusks actually attract mates (as they good for defense) there's no real evidence to suggest nature is selecting against these. Not to mention they often curve away and pass by the ears. This specific case was covered in this book.

What some people need to realize is the standard isn't perfection and self-killing tusks aren't going to be selected for or against if they have no bearing on reproduction. These "flawed" genes can healthily propagate when they don't influence their own passing on.

Just not in the way we think of it.

The book is called "Evolution" and it's by Jean-Baptiste de Panafieu.

You should check out Hidden life of trees if you haven't already.

I've been reading this book, it talks about how trees react to their environment
https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Life-Trees-Communicate_Discoveries-Secret/dp/1771642483

I imagine cannabis has similar mechanisms

https://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Photo-Ark-Document/dp/1426217773

There's also a book about it!

https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Life-Trees-Communicate_Discoveries-Secret/dp/1771642483

Not certain, because I haven't read it yet (it's on my list), but it might be The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben that Bryan is talking about.

Case in point, a long-running bestseller book is The Hidden Life of Trees. In which other country could you write a book about trees and have it be a hit (being a bestseller elsewhere after it was in Germany doesn't count, publishers love to translate and advertise any kind of bestseller).

I disagree with your title. It is something that I think is a very common view amongst many people. If you are looking for the MOST moral choice about diet then I think veganism doesn't go far enough. Disclaimer: I am not a vegetarian, vegan or anything else. I am a meat-eater like you. Veganism, as you rightly say at the end of your post, is ok with killing and consuming the corpses of plants. Any vegans I've met (not many), have not shown any consideration that plants mght be alive too. I have just started an interesting book and it has been eye-opening for me. Trees and plants warn other nearby plants when their leaves are being eaten. When a tree is injured, other nearby trees will give some of their food to the injured tree. This leads me to think that many vegans are anthropomorphising animals because trees are so unlike people, which is wrong. If veganism is not the most moral choice, then what is...fruitarianism. Fruit is the only thing (that I know of) produced by a living organism that is expected to be eaten by other living organisms. I believe this causes no suffering to the trees/plants producing the fruit. The tree/plant is allowing you to eat its fruit in the hope that you will disperse the seeds within and allow new trees/plants to grow.
Is fruitarianism practical? No (see the link above). But your question wasn't about practical, it was about causing the least suffering to other living organisms. Every day of fruitarianism is a day where you didn't kill or cause suffering to another living organism.