controversial, wildlife topic

[mpsorens]

I'm sure most of you were intrigued by the subject title. The purpose of this thread is because I recently passed my state/federal exam but decided to put off catching a bird so I could focus on school, and help the sport of falconry as a wildlife biologist. One of our assignments is to find a current, controversial, wildlife restoration/environmental issue and do research and report on it. Just wondering if you guys had any ideas that effect you.

[titaniumtalons]

Feral Cats,

I feel like all cats should be on a leash and that the historical "barn cat" should be shot.
Cats do too much damage to wildlife to be allowed to roam free!

[kenbro77]

Aug 27, 2008 21:23:39 GMT -5 titaniumtalons said:

Feral Cats,

I feel like all cats should be on a leash and that the historical "barn cat" should be shot.
Cats do too much damage to wildlife to be allowed to roam free!

wow, way to go Michael. Thats giving him something controversial alright. I agree, but very few do.

[mpsorens]

That is a good one. Talk about invasive species . There is Nothing worse than cat urine on your porch. Thanks.

[Minca]

Hmmm...
I've been told that for a long time they have had a way developed to rid the whole world of mosquitos within a year or two, but won't do it because they're afraid of how it would affect other wildlife (as in poisoning nontarget insects and insect eaters).

Wildlife habitat seems to us be an obvious common sense issue, and yet obviously, someone disagrees on it's importance because the urban developement keeps growing.

Most "common folk" don't know about all the raptors that get killed every year by ranchers, still thinking that they're all livestock killers. I had one master falconer tell me about a rancher that destroyed a clutch of kestrel eyases because he swore they were killing his chickens!

I'm sure I could keep thinking of of more controversial type stuff...

There's always the Spotted Owls!

[miladymimi]

It's difficult to make blanket statements concerning cats which are not kept indoors. Depending upon \where you live they can cause a problem or no problem at all. In my hay barn I have 6 "barn" cats who are all spayed or neutered and because the closest person to me is about 100 acres away, they never leave home. If I didn't have the cats, I'd be overrun with mice and then with snakes. As it is, I rarely ever see a live mouse and even fewer snakes. The cats are kept to do a job and they do it well. I don't consider them feral. They're all friendly and social. As for doing damage to other wildlife, yes occasionally they get a baby bird or a squirrel, but not very often. Predators are a part of nature. Lack a predation can cause just as many if not more problems. Perhaps that would be a good topic to study. The effects of the loss of predators on the world ecosystem.

[wes]

Way to kool ---- :

miladymimi - your one of too very few, who follow those rules, way to go! hats off to ya!

mpsorens-- or your potted rose bush plants

titaniumtalons - damage to wildlife is correct and more than people know.

I've read an article from Europe about problems cats cause on wildlife. can't remember where I read it thou.

TOO MANY Cat owners and some dog owners as well, Don't have much thought or care for there pets, But They LOVE their Pets and that pet is more improtant than any wildlife.---

Many farmers, hunters, and ranchers are forced to shoot such animals on site, in many areas.
In may areas, as well as the parish I live in (south LA), we have animals leash laws , for ALL animals. Owners are responible for the damage their pets do. I've read artciles where people sued others because, a cat was on others cars and left scatches in the paint, horse, dog and cattle owners sued for auto wrecks, and so forth.

Had a talk with a local cat owner and she told me that cats can't be trained or be confinded to a small areas like a yard. I told her that she had to be smarter than the cat, in order to be able to train one, the talk didn't end well, she left not happy

It is so sad, this is caused by people without a clue of the pain they have put there sooo loved pets though.

Never have I owned a cat
Wes

[Cionaoith]

Sept 4, 2008 21:28:00 GMT -5 wes said:

Had a talk with a local cat owner and she told me that cats can't be trained or be confinded to a small areas like a yard. I told her that she had to be smarter than the cat, in order to be able to train one

Never have I owned a cat
Wes

Being smarter than the animal is one thing; having an animal that is smart enough to be trained is another. For the most part, cats are simply not smart enough to be trained (teaching them to use the box is difficult enough - it can take months). Having never owned a cat, you wouldn't know this, but cats are also very stubborn in their nature.

If you put a cat outside, it will not police itself to stay within its own yard (unless the yard exceeds what it would naturally perceive as its domain, and a suburban yard is too small). If a cat is a pet, as opposed to pest control - and it should be if you're in a suburb or more densely populated area - it should strictly be a house cat. That breaks their natural propensity to explore outdoors (they even acquire a fear of the world outside of the house).

Cats are just like any other animal; when you train it to do something, you are trying to modify or break it of its nature. Smarter animals take training better, dogs especially so (though part of a dog's ability to accept training is their natural will to please their master). Like I said, though, cats are just not smart enough. Their nature can be broken in time, but with difficulty. As difficult as it is to break its nature, it is even more difficult to modify its nature.

[titaniumtalons]

Sept 3, 2008 13:28:31 GMT -5 miladymimi said:

If I didn't have the cats, I'd be overrun with mice and then with snakes. As it is, I rarely ever see a live mouse and even fewer snakes.

I don't keep any cats in my barn but I do have several very large black rat snakes, I like them, not too many rodents around.