I don't think it's any more fundamentalistic (not sure if that's a real word) to object to culling in this instance than it is to oppose deforestation in Tasmania or the the production of non-sustainable palm oil in Asia. There is an unwarranted demand for a product which compromises the ecosystem.
It sure is a word, however, we dont want soon-to-be-teachers thinking this is a grammar topic. Fundamentalism is not a desirable stance as it detracts from the issue without the consideration of other factors. History is a great resource to highlight humankinds failings in this regard, and I state this towards anything I say as well. Its very difficult to sometimes see your own fundamentalisn, again, me included.
How about this: Long term solution - remove the demand for farmed animal products.
I am agreat believer of harvesting wild animals for consumption for a variety of reasons, however, farmed animal products do have their place, and yes, because it is efficient and can be done with humane consideration of livestock. Free ranging chickens would have a life not dissimilar to a domestic dog living with a suburban family. They are obviously contained within a particular system and delivered all the requirements for their health and wellbeing within something resembling their previous instictual practices.
Short term solution - have the supplier pay to protect the ecosystem (individual fencing of grazing property) and pass the cost back to the consumer (this also assists the long term solution).
Perhaps in an ideal world, except when costs are too high we have the great benefits of globalisation, Mark. Consumers shop around for everything, meat included and they will just buy more imported meat. Its a complex problem and I prefer the devil I know.
Mitch was saying before the idea of fencing is ridiculous - fencing is being done under the Govt funding so unless Mitch (or yourself) are privvy to information on the effectiveness of t his approach that the authorities on this matter aren't, then it may be worth sharing with them.
Again, consumer/taxpayer will ultimately pay. I personally could show you hundreds of spots where kangaroos actually dig/force their way under fences. You should see what wombats do. This causes openings for all animals, including livestock. Barring that, the cost of the fencing in terms of resources. Huge amounts of metal and transport and habitation for workers. Again, will drive the price for a particular product which will affect other consumers, etc etc. Again, not implying anything, its just complex because everyone, through the economy, through general society somehow relies on someone else and we all interact through commerce.
Concerning government funding.. thats a can of worms all by itself in regards to complexity. Why are they funding? How efficient is the return on their funding? Who audits the fencing?
whoops that incorrect use of "your" wasn't even intentional - must have gotten a bit over excited when capitalising the word
I knew what you meant.
..my stance against culling in this instance is that it appears as though the only real driver to do so is to protect livestock that merely exist to support a lifestyle that is directly opposed to mine..
Well, thats what the media is good for: narrow focused articles to sell papers. Cynical perhaps, but all things in life nowadays are commercialised. Everyone needs money to pay for insurance and holidays and over-priced organically certified eggs.
Now in terms of the lifestyle, thats your choice and good luck to you, however, as I am sure you appreciate, Australia is a great society because of diversity and tolerance. In saying that, if everything was done in an ideal way in regards to animal welfare, so farming was no longer practiced, would you be still against other humans harvesting, as the top predator on the food chain, wild meat?
Hmm..
"As top-order predators, wild dogs hunt native and feral animals. They help suppress other introduced predators, such as foxes, maintaining healthy ecosystems and biodiversity. However, wild dogs can cause losses of livestock on grazing lands and can also spread disease, such as hydatids (tapeworms)."
With a grain of salt.. dont you think its strange that the most positive part of the paragraph is about the good, wild (feral) dogs do? They remove native animals and spread disease. If you also read into the articles, wild dogs are also the way to which rabies can be spread throughout Australia. Does anyone here know what rabid dogs can do?
Suppressing foxes can be easily done through other more humane methods. If you were a fox would you rather be mauled by a dog 2 or 3 times your size (anyone know what drawn and quartered is? well a pack of dogs do that to their prey when caught), eat poison (1080) and scream, vomit, defecate and suffer violent seizures, or be shot and, even with a bad shot, die alot quicker then through the other methods?
Before anyone goes onto the trapping, yes trapping isnt nice. It just works. Laced traps kill far more effectively then 1080. Again, going back to a previous comment relating to trapping and having technology and someone available to see to the animal, same applies to professional shooters. There needs to be a feasible employment situation.
Regardless, fundamentalism denies proper animal welfare as natural order isnt actually that kind. As much as I enjoy wild documentaries, watching an antelope have is ass ripped of its hindquarter doesnt do much for me, nor does seeing rabbit carcasses affected by myxamatosis.
I just think that more consideration needs to be given to conserving the (relatively) natural order rather than culling (relatively) native wild dogs purely for economic prosperity.
So do I. Its the scientific management of all animal populations. We will never be able to remove wild dogs, however, there is need to control their effect. Same with rabbits, goats, wild cattle, brumbies, hares, foxes, feral cats etc, aswell as macropods, and a variety of other natives genus.
In regards to economic prosperity, heres one to think about that nothing is ever what it seems by just relying on superficial understanding. The current range of hybrid vehicles use what are called rare earth metals in their battery systems (as do wind turbines, but alot more). If you are keen, search into the processes used to mine and refine these metals and the destruction that is being caused to local environments and populations of animals.
The guy employed to trap and remove those wild dogs isnt doing it for kicks, and if he is, I am sure he would have to be a wealthy sadist. Demand in anything only comes about because the solution presented, works.
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Wild dogs are not dingoes and they are not the natural predator in this instance.
