As more people far too easily become alienated from the natural world in which they live, it's essential that they get out and develop a deeper appreciation for the fascinating animals with whom they coexist by eavesdropping and conversing with them—as George Bumann aptly puts it in his eye- and ear-opening new book, Eavesdropping on Animals: What We Can Learn From Wildlife Conversations—using all of their senses to connect deeply with these amazing beings. Personally rewilding our hearts and souls will go a long way toward improving people's lives and also the health and well-being of our wild neighbors and our magnificent but frail and wounded planet.

Eavesdropping on Animals is an essential read deserving of a global audience because, regrettably, detachment from nature is a worldwide pandemic that won't go away by ignoring what's in plain sight, sound, and smell.

Marc Bekoff: Why did you write Eavesdropping on Animals?

George Bumann: I wrote it because humanity has forgotten how to listen, and consequently, lost its connection with wild nature. We have stepped away from the wisdom found in the lived experiences of knowing a raven, a wolf, or the sparrow or squirrel in your town park. It is time to reclaim our access to the original social media—the first Twitter, the earliest Facebook—for the betterment of our personal wellbeing and that of the planet.

Listening in as animals communicate turns out to be one of the most powerful ways to rekindle our relationships with wild nature. Eavesdropping is the book I wish I had had as a boy struggling to understand what the deer or the blackbirds were telling me.

MB: How does your book relate to your background and general areas of
interest?

GB: I have always longed to understand the lives of wild creatures on their terms, but for a long time, I struggled to........

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