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EESTI ELU reedel, 29. jaanuaril 2021 — Friday, January 29, 2021
New government… (Continued from page 11)
Culture Anneli Ott, Minister of Rural Affairs Urmas Kruuse, Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Taavi Aas, Minister of Finance Keit Pentus-Rosimannus, Minister of Public Administration Jaak Aab, Minister of the Interior Kristian Jaani, Minister of Social Protection Signe Riisalo, Minister of Health and Labour Tanel Kiik, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Eva-Maria Liimets. The aim of the government of the Reform Party and the Centre Party is to continue the effective resolution of the COVID-19 crisis, to keep Esto nia forward-looking, and to im prove the country in all areas and regions. More information about the aims of the govern ment is available at https://valit Žorik on the picture window of the resto bearing his name in his old sus.ee/en/governance-agree haunts of Kalamaja in Tallinn. Photo: Riina Kindlam ment-2021-2023. The new government will meet for the first time today at a cabinet meeting at 2 p.m. to discuss issues related to the spread of the coronavirus. The first meeting of the government Luckily, by then he was will be held on Thursday. Žorik was mentioned in the article describing the Kassi/ known and looked out for by Photos of the oath of office abi cat shelter calendar on the tram drivers. The krants ceremony (Erik Peinar / Chan this page two weeks ago, and (mutt) with as many lives as a cel lery of the Riigikogu): since he has been read about cat, emerged valiantly from https://flic.kr/s/aHsmTV8XNF. seizures and an ensuing coma Ministers of the government globally, Eesti Elu should not be left out. The legendary, while in the care of a looma/ and their biographies: https:// elderly (14+ year-old) ailing arsti (veterinary) kliinik in va l i t s u s . e e / va b a r i i g i - va l i t Kalamaja neighbourhood September, much to everyone’s suse-51-koosseis. lind/prii (outlaw, “bird free”, amazement. Additional Information free as a bird), as he is He is the last of a one-time Government Communication known, was safely retired to large family of free-ranging an outdoor enclosure in the dogs from Põhja-Tallinn’s Pal Office countryside this past summer jassaare peninsula, the only one press@riik.ee (although he managed to that avoided capture, although valitsus.ee escape once!), after he began never having been known to be lying down in dangerous spots aggressive or bite. While al including the rongi (train) lowed to live in a makeshift and trammi tracks of Põhja- shelter in Paljassaare harbour, article “Estonians erect statue Tallinn. he was known as Ugaljok, and give home to beloved stray meaning “little piece of coal” in dog” of 17. detsember, penned Russian, because of his mostly by Maris Hellrand. white (and black) body, yet Žorik now joins other fa entirely dark head and “smart” mous canine monuments such eyes. He was seen with other as Greyfriars Bobby in Edin dogs, including his brother, who burgh, Hachikō at Japan’s all eventually disappeared while Shibuya train station and Rover he moved on between neigh in front of the Hartford bourhoods depending on the Hospital, who all loyally await winds of change and where ed their masters long after their good people fed him. deaths, as well as Sergeant Now Žorik has been immor Gander, the grenade-sniffing talized by sculptor Kain Rezev dog who saved the lives of with funds donated by the pub Canadian soldiers during World lic, who miss the raudne War II, honoured by a bronze (steely, “iron”) pup. Led by statue in Gander Heritage Looma/pääste/grupp MTÜ (non- Memorial Park. Since 2011, there is also a profit Animal Rescue Group’s) bas-relief plaque in Tartu’s Heiki Valner, the statue was Supilinn, commemorating local unveiled in front of the Arsenali dog Riku, who was a quiet, shopping centre in the extended Ausambast. Photo: Riina Kindlam neighbourhood Žorik called friendly fixture in front of a single-story old wooden house home on World Animal Day, 4. oktoober 2020. It is a testament on Tähtvere tänav from 2002 to to surviving the odds and a 2007. The house was de reminder to not forget those in molished a few years ago and a need, such as the kitten between new one built, onto which the his paws (Žorik gets along well old plaque has once again been with cats), as well as to not dis mounted. criminate, since Žorik’s large Back in the capital, in an network of friends transcended ironic mix of admiration meets local cultural and social divides. gentrification, a new kohvik The story of the cunning, eva (café) / baar at Tööstuse tänav sive free-spirit, who has never 1 now bears Žorik’s name. let people very close, yet won (“Žorik Kalamaja” on Face their hearts, reverberated world book.) One of the owners has Žorik. Photo: AP / Raul Mee wide thanks to the AP News said they agreed long ago to do
Tallinn Monument to Strays Garners Worldwide Attention
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Estonian Mammals and their Canadian Counterparts Vincent Teetsov If you were to step into a futuristic gate that transported your body’s matter to an iso lated natural area, would you automatically be able to tell where you were? Let’s say you were brought to a forested area, by the sea, or to a wet land ecosystem; if you have a keen eye, you might be able to identify certain flora and fauna that only exists in one part of the world. Could you tell if you were in Canada or Estonia based on ob serving plants, trees, and ani mals? For the average person, who might spend the majority of their time in urban and sub urban areas, these differences are less noticeable. Let’s com pare some mammals that you’ll find in Estonia and Canada, to see how we can identify their characteristics. Brown Bear (Latin “Ursus arctos” or Estonian “pruunkaru”) If you come across a brown bear by the sea, you’re probably looking at a North American brown bear. These tend to be larger than the Eurasian brown bear, due to a high consumption of fatty fish from May to August. In Estonia, there are around 700 brown bears, many of whom live in the inland forests of Alutaguse National Park. Furthermore, if you came across a black bear, you’re defi nitely not in Estonia: Canada has nearly 500,000 black bears, while Estonia has none. Ringed Seal (“Pusa hispida” or “viigerhüljes”) You would have to travel much further north, to the Arctic Circle or Newfoundland, to find these in Canada. Estonia is one of the most southern latitudinal points in the world where you can see ringed seals. They’re known for their con trasting light coloured rings against dark skin. They are a smaller species, up to 1.5 metres in length, while the grey seal, found in Nova Scotia for example, ranges between 1.95 and 2.5 metres long. Ringed seals can live further away from open water due to their ability to claw safe breathing holes through ice.
nate money raised by the sale of sweatshirts and t-shirts bear ing Žorik’s logo to support him and other homeless animals, as well as to put a donation box in the café. Žorik’s saga is defi nitely worth remembering and the owners of the establishment insist they too wish to honour his memory by helping to keep his legend alive, even after he
Photo: havehest.wordpress.com
Red Squirrel (“Sciurus vulgaris” or “Punaorav”) Eurasian red squirrels found in Estonia have tufty red hair on their ears, while their North American counterparts do not. This is the most noticeable dif ference. Behaviourally speak ing, Estonian red squirrels are less territorial, while Canadian red squirrels put in a great deal of effort to keep intruders out of their range. The diet of both types includes seeds, nuts, in sects, and wild mushrooms. Hedgehog (“Erinaceus europaeus” or “siil”) Hedgehogs are an important Estonian animal, and they were a runner-up to being named Estonia’s national animal in 2018, with the honour finally bestowed to the wolf. A wise hedgehog gave advice on weaponry in the epic tale of Kalevipoeg. But you won’t find them in Canada’s nature. It’s actually illegal to keep them as pets in numerous cities. You can identify one by the pointy spines that reach from the tops of their foreheads to their backs. In the wild, they like to keep to themselves and have clear territorial boundaries. Eurasian Lynx (“Lynx lynx” or “ilves”) The lynx found in Northern Europe, including Estonia, is the largest in the world. Its length ranges from 80 to 120 centimetres, while the Canadian lynx is half this size. Due to this increased size, Estonian lynxes tend to attack larger prey such as deer. Both varieties have fur on the bottom of their paws and widen their paws like snowshoes as they walk, allow ing them to stalk their prey efficiently in snowy conditions. Though Canada is obviously much larger than Estonia, with more biomes and climate types, there are many similarities between the mammals you will see in both places. At a time when the Oxford University Press has omitted certain words relating to nature from its Junior Dictionary, it’s a good practice to look at these animals and remember how they add balance and vitality to the world we share with them.
has travelled to better hunting grounds, as Estonians say: läinud parematele jahi/maadele, where there are endless Žoriku (burgers) – mahe/veise/pihv (organic beef patty) on brioche, hold the hoisin kurk and toga rashi sibul. Or perhaps he will forever prefer vares (crow) on the bone. RIINA KINDLAM, Tallinn
