Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Have spent some of my life - not enough though - in the African bush, there is nothing quite like being at the same level as a McDonalds burger in the ecosystem to make you feel alive.
I do think that as a species, and here in Europe and I include the UK we should be making room for many of the iconic species including the large predators. But we also need to find a way of allowing them to live alongside us, and be able manage the numbers and where they roam.
If they become problem then they are pushed back or culled. Predators are intelligent and soon learn to avoid danger. Indeed no reasons why there should not be predator hunting with open seasons etc - probably on a licence basis like they seem to manage everywhere else.
It also needs a holistic view on the management of our countryside and especially the wilder areas. At the moment there are many different deeply entrenched views on the matter with little room for accommodation of other view points or interests. Mostly it comes down to money. Take sea eagles. Hugely valuable to those running tourist operations. But none of that gets into the hands of the crofter who looses lambs to the eagles.
There are plenty of parts of the world where livestock are kept alongside large predators. Large herding dogs, shepherds/ cow hands and overnight corrals are whats required and these work in those parts of Europe where wolves exist. A lot of such animals are milked so revenue is coming from milk and cheesemaking as well as from meat. A lot of livestock farming is heavily subsidised using tax payers money and plenty of sheep are purely there for the subsidy.
I do think that as a species, and here in Europe and I include the UK we should be making room for many of the iconic species including the large predators. But we also need to find a way of allowing them to live alongside us, and be able manage the numbers and where they roam.
If they become problem then they are pushed back or culled. Predators are intelligent and soon learn to avoid danger. Indeed no reasons why there should not be predator hunting with open seasons etc - probably on a licence basis like they seem to manage everywhere else.
It also needs a holistic view on the management of our countryside and especially the wilder areas. At the moment there are many different deeply entrenched views on the matter with little room for accommodation of other view points or interests. Mostly it comes down to money. Take sea eagles. Hugely valuable to those running tourist operations. But none of that gets into the hands of the crofter who looses lambs to the eagles.
There are plenty of parts of the world where livestock are kept alongside large predators. Large herding dogs, shepherds/ cow hands and overnight corrals are whats required and these work in those parts of Europe where wolves exist. A lot of such animals are milked so revenue is coming from milk and cheesemaking as well as from meat. A lot of livestock farming is heavily subsidised using tax payers money and plenty of sheep are purely there for the subsidy.
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