If I do go with this idea though, should I be concerned about what it implies? In other words, if I have sharks eating birds, will I annoy any shark conservationists who might argue that they would never?
When speaking with my peers about my idea, it was suggested that anything you do or say in the design world nowadays needs to have a basis in truth, otherwise it won't be taken with any legitimacy.
While I don't totally agree with this, I do see where they're coming from, and in trying to be as critically aware as possible, I gave the opinion some time. If you claim or represent something, it holds much more credibility when it is real. Many people out there prefer facts over fantasy, so if I made something that had no basis in reality, then how serious could I expect it to be taken?
With that in mind then, I thought I'd take some notable time to research into my proposed story, and take a more detailed look at whether the actual animals in my planned animation, or more specifically their habits, hold any truth in reality.
Firstly, the issue of birds travelling long distances, in reflection of the migrants setting off on their journey.
Well, I think we all already know that birds do migrate long distances, so that much is obvious. Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway between breeding and wintering grounds, undertaken by many species of birds. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting by humans, and is driven primarily by availability of food. Migration occurs mainly in the Northern Hemisphere where birds are funneled on to specific routes by natural barriers such as the Mediterranean Sea.
Information source - Wikipedia.
Next, would birds sit on a whales back?
Apparently yes, they would. Humpback whales feed on krill, plankton and fish. They like to feed on schools of herring. In some places they are joined by huge masses of shearers and other sea birds that feed on the same prey the whales do. They migrate thousands of miles round trip and spends months in calving and mating areas.
Information source - Facts & Details
2 for 2 so far. Perfect 3? Let's have it.
Do sharks attack birds?
Yes they do. Tiger Sharks are especially known to eat birds, and some observations suggest that they may have a preference for birds. The tiger shark is a solitary, mostly nocturnal hunter. Its diet includes a wide variety of prey, ranging from crustaceans, fish, seals, birds, squid, turtles, and sea snakes to dolphins and even other smaller sharks.
Information source - Answers.com
So interestingly enough, my "metaphorical representation" actually has more truth to it than I initially anticipated!
While I perhaps didn't need to go to such lengths in order to justify a loose, metaphorical representation of an issue, using established symbols and stereotypical icons, I'm actually glad I did, as I now know my idea has a deeper layer of truth behind it. Not only am I reflecting a real world issue that actually exists, but I'm also doing it by linking to to actual creature habits that transpire in addition.
This actually worked out quite well.
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