Actually there is a movement out there that would like to put camels elephants rhinos, and large cats and God-knows -what else right smack dab in the middle of buster lime's backyard (the guy afraid of being attacked by such animals.). There was an article about it a few years back in National Geographic. Don't quote me on it but I almost think Ted Turner may be part of it.
It is an obviously controversial idea but from the standpoint of large carnivorous mammalian predators there is some validity to it. Since we have eradicated wolves from the majority of the lower 48 states coyotes have moved in and replaced them as nature abhors a vacuum. They are less fearful of man than wolves and more prone to inhabiting urban environments and much more of a potential problem in clashes with humans. They are harder to eradicate than wolves which means it is more difficult to manage their populations. They also have a tendency to carrie rabies at a higher percentage rate than wolves and last but not least they are not as effective as predators on deer populations as are wolves and big cats.
Lack of predators on deer has had not only a devastating effect on ecosystems given that deer alter the natural flora of their environment by eating it to death but they now have a problem with a brain wasting disease that would benefit by having predators that could weed out the sick animals.
Yes btw there was a species of wolf here in Fl. and the south east it was the red wolf (canis rufus) although there is currently controversy as to whether it is actually a legitimate species or actually a hybrid between coyotes and grey wolves. Given the typical behavior between the two species (coyote populations were reduced by 40% in yellowstone national park after the reintroduction of wolves.) I am a bit doubtful of that theory. However red wolves and coyotes do readily hybridize. There is however a close genetic link between coyotes red wolves and the now extinct dire wolf which were all supposedly here before the arrival of the grey wolf. That last fact alone would throw the hybrid theory imo but I'm not a scientist so what do I know.

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]