As shocking as it may be for some people to hear, Magizoologists and Muggle zoologists have a lot in common. Certainly not in what subjects they specifically study, but in the way they look at it. The principles of animals and how they survive in our world and with each other can be applied to any creature: magical or mundane.
There have actually been several occasions in which I have attended Muggle universities for this exact reason. One such visit that stands out in my mind is one I took to Cornell University in New York, where I attended a lecture given by one Dr. Willis Lynch, a man who made a career out of studying migratory patterns of North American animals, and their movements as a species over the years. While I listen, I try to remember whether or not there were any notable magical creatures that had habits of migrating with the seasons. Absolutely nothing came to my mind. No point of study, so of course I had to speak to this professor further.
I fear I came off as being rather uneducated. I may have been a professor of Care of Magical Creatures, but I fear I am rather ignorant when it comes to ordinary animals, aside from knowing which magical creatures eat them. I imagine he wondered why I even came to his lecture. All the same, he was most gracious in answering my questions. He even offered to let me accompany him to lunch so we could speak further. I can’t help but feel like I was being studied by this man at the same time I was studying him.
At a coffee shop, Dr. Lynch shared his own theories about how certain animals came to develop migratory habits, all of which I began considering in terms of my own studies. I almost considered telling him about a wizarding tall tale that I—and many others, I’m sure—about the witch who led the animals to the warmer lands in the winter every year until she died, but then I thought better of it. Mentioning a children’s story as a possible theory to explained migration felt as though it would do more harm than good, especially given the intellectual level he held me at already.
What the experience had taught me, however, was that Muggles as a whole are given far too little credit for the contributions they have made to scientific discovery. There is certainly very much we can learn from them, even if it is not possible for them to learn from us.
In my studies and journeys, I have come across many highly intelligent Muggles who have devoted their lives to studying the creatures in their lives, just as I have devoted my own life to studying the magical creatures of my own world. I hope students who take up the study of magical creatures will take into account the importance of studying Muggles as well as creatures in their devotion to the subject.
Many people are surprised to learn just how much the way both Muggles and magical folk have much the same way of studying living things. It really isn’t hard to understand. When it comes right down to it, all living creatures are more or less the same. They all require air to breathe, food to eat, and they all have an inbred instinct to survive in whatever environment they exist in. And animals can even be considered the same in that humans have the desire to understand them as well as they understand them. Muggles and wizards even share many of the same ways of classifying magical and mundane creatures: by diets, habitats, and a dozen other ways.
The classification system Muggles used to identify the animals of the world is surprisingly sophisticated and highly meticulous. The wizarding world has yet to come up with an equal system of classifying magical creatures. Most wizards seem to understand that a Fwoper is a bird and a Fur-bearing Trout is a fish, but there are no scientific names, families, genuses, etc.
Despite differences in method, both Muggles and wizards share the same desire to understand the world of wild creatures, one that humans will always remain just outside of.
Another thing that surprises people to learn is how much is that Muggles actually know about magical creatures, especially Muggles that live within the close vicinity of a creature’s natural habitat. Wizards have done good work in making sure more dangerous creatures, such as dragons and Quintapeds, away from the prying eyes of Muggles who do not know enough to stay away from danger, but there are hundreds of pieces of Muggle media detailing surprisingly accurate accounts of magical creatures.
Some of the best examples of this are the Yeti and the Kelpie that has come to be known as the Loch Ness monster. The areas in the creatures’ general vicinity tend to be much more expert in the subject of these creatures than many witches and wizards are. Although they may not fully understand the true nature of these creatures, they appear to be quite knowledgeable about the creatures’ general descriptions, their habits and dietary preferences, and now to protect themselves from these creatures when need be.
Many representatives within wizarding governments would argue for putting restrictions in place that would keep Muggles completely in the dark when it comes to the creatures that make their habitats near Muggle homes and settlements. I, however, could not disagree with this position more. Although I believe Muggles gaining to much knowledge of the wizarding world can only lead to trouble, many of these magical creatures are quite dangerous, and Muggles who do not know how to protect themselves make for easy prey. What little knowledge Muggles have about these near-dwelling creatures could be the only thing that is keeping many populations safe.
In general, I find how much Muggles seem to learn about magical creatures just by sharing the same dwelling place completely amazing. It has been something of a side-study in my years of research. I’m sincerely hoping that students of this subject will be willing to put any Muggle prejudices they have aside so that they may have the opportunity to learn these parallels as well.