Ok, i know i am not well known here yet, but i am attempting to change that. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! I would like to gather some ideas, pick your brains as such. I have been handed a question for my Tech College course, Vet Nursing, and i need ideas. "Culling of native and feral animals in the wild" Ok, so its not very precise, but you get the idea. Assuming the country is Australia too. I need to prepare a 2 page writtem debate for each side. I have veiws on this, but i think, as this is a public opinion thing, i'll add my views later on so as not to infulence. Assignment due in 3 weeks. If you like i will post the finished project. Any views are appreciated. Thanks guys!Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Actually, it is far too broad. Are you culling the best or the worst? Are you speaking of all species? One species? Is there a problem to resolve? Etc... No, no, no... you go right ahead and let us know. If you have read even a smattering of threads here, you know that anyone who disagrees with you will let it be known. Peace.
You may like to check this thread http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/posts/topic31181.shtm and http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/posts/topic33916.shtm and http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/posts/topic28864.shtm There are probably more but I will let you have the pleasure of searching for them Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Went and read a smattering as you said, gee you guys are very.... vocal! Anyways, here goes, There are other ways o go about it. Why do we cull animals? usual reasons are overpopulation, health risk and damage to crops. Before white man arrived in australia, i would assume that the ecosystem was pretty much ok, 1 introduced animal, the dingo, wiped out the thylacine on the mainland. thats 1 animal. I am not saying this is a good thng at all, just saying that it is only one. When white man came, he planted exotic grasses, bought rabbits and foxes so he could hunt and horses so he could get around. As there were no natural predators, the numbers exploded, as man could not (or would not) shoot them all. Also, the exotic grasses were loved by native animals such as roos. Land clearing also increased the roos habitat, causing populations to explode. so here we have lots of different animals who are out of balance. what to do? Kill them. no thought. nothing. its a problem created by man, being solved with a band aid solution, yet again. and with the reasons for culling, why is it that we do not cull humans, i know quite a few that would have been "naturally selected" for their utter stupidity and lazyness. I would have gone for my health. is it pure vanity to think that we are above these beings? why should we have the right to kill them? we will kill 100s of 1000s of animals, but we will not euthanase a cancer patient on her last legs who is pleading to go? how can this be? ok, but i also see the need for some sort of control. shooting is not the answer, as most of the times with mass culls, things are wounded and dye slowly. nobody bothers to check, its gunna die anyway right? There are hundreds of ther ways of controlling animals. They are now sterilising foxes in australia. what about myxo and calici for rabbits? re-homing and gentling brumbies? exporting camels? taming dingoes? allowing roos on large proberties as something akin to livestock/pets? Screening off orchards or using ultrasonic devices to deter flying foxes? having "runway" dogs to chase off birds? there are whole lists of things that can be done. why then, do we resort to shooting? is it all because of the bottom line?Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! I agree that we should control numbers using innovative solutions such as those above. i do not agree with aerial culling or massacres for cost effectiveness. I do not agree with the culling of natives AT ALL! we screwed up, we have to do something, but what we are doing now isnt working, and its for the most part inhumane. now... ive been nice.... can you tell me now? BTW, i did not come up with the question, our lecturer person is not the best teacher in the world, he came up with it. his excuse is if its an ambiguous question, than you can have an ambiguous answer. apparently this is a good thing......Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
No matter how you go at it, man changes things and not always for the best. Zebra Mussels came in from ship bilge. They are near epedemic in the Great Lakes area. They cause the stopping up of drainage lines from sewage treatment plants, amoung other things, and cost huge dollars just to keep things working. They have no natural predators in that area. For a long time hunting has been one way of controlling animal populations. Here in the US it is a large business that generates all kind of tax revenues and $ for the businesses that cater to the hunter. Another method that has been used for a long time is bounties on vermin and predators. Bring in the skin, ears, or whatever and recieve money for it. But you have hit on something that there is no easy solution for. Which ever way you go there will be a segment of the population that doesn't want it. Either they don't care, don't understand the issues, or think it is inhumane. Meanwhile overpopulation has it's effects. That goes for man as well as beast. If you do nothing then nature will. Nature is not kind or forgiving. She will do what we will not and the results are not always predictable. In the Smoky Mountains it is not uncommon to find bears looking for food in the city. Don't tell it to leave your trash can alone, you could be the next meal. Part of those same bears have lost their fear of man because of the tourists feeding the bears in the park. There is also the problem of if you remove, kill, or reduce a population that something else responds. These introduced species eat something and what ever it is that is their main food will grow out of proportion because of the animals that kept it in check is no longer there in the numbers that held that "food" in check. You have hit a damned if you do, damned if you don't. It may not be the kindest way but let nature take it's course and it will eventually find a solution.
