Posted on 08/18/2005 5:52:59 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
Lions stalking deer in the stubble of a Nebraska cornfield. Elephants trumpeting across Colorado’s high plains. Cheetah slouching through the West Texas scrub.
Prominent ecologists are floating an audacious plan that sounds like a “Jumanji” sequel — transplant African wildlife to the Great Plains of North America.
Their radical proposal is greeted with gasps and groans from other scientists and conservationists who recall previous efforts to relocate foreign species halfway around the world, often with disastrous results.
The authors contend it could help save Africa’s poster species from extinction, where protection is spotty and habitat is vanishing.
“We aren’t backing a truck up to some dump site in the dark and turning lose a bunch of elephants,” said Cornell University ecologist Harry W. Greene, one of the plan’s authors.
While most modern African species never lived on the American prairie, the scientists think today’s animals could duplicate the natural roles played by their departed, even larger cousins — mastodons, camels and saber-toothed cats — that roamed for more than 1 million years alongside antelope and bison.
But the scientists’ plan, which appears in today’s issue of the journal Nature, is triggering thunderclaps of criticism, with discouraging words such as “stupid” and “defeatist” raining down.
Critics point to Australia, which was overrun by rabbits and poisonous cane toads after misguided species relocations.
Some conservationists said the plan would further damage the prospects of African species on their native turf, as well as that continent’s hopes for sustainable economic development.
(Excerpt) Read more at thestate.com ...
Why don't these people just come right out and publicly state their real agenda: "We hate humans, we think there are too many humans, humans are destroying the planet...and we want animals to eat more humans." ;)
I am all for it! We would not have to go to exotic locations to hunt big game!
I don't know, finding a frozen elephant would be kind of cool.
But in Ithaca that might be considered nothing but an extremely late term abortion.
;-)
Remember their proposal a few yrs. ago?
Plant food crops in the clearings along the interstate highways for the animals and birds.
Uh, animals, 4 lanes of 70 mph cars?What were they thinking?
Maybe that's what makes Africans such great marathon runners.
Why not release them all in Ithaca and on the campus of Cornell if they think it is such a grand idea?
As if we don't have enough troubles already.
A 45-70 will probably do the job, but I know a 30-06 will take care of any African game.
I wonder if Ithaca is still having a deer problem because the ecofreaks won't kill them?
Will it penetrate the skull of an elephant. That is a couple of inches of bone. Only a well placed shot to the skull will stop a charging elephant.
but I know a 30-06 will take care of any African game. I forgot to add the caliber
The Brits have used the .303 to hunt elephant and a 30-06 is a bit more potent.
The answer is yes. Furry critters are remarkably adaptable. Remember there are tigers in Siberia!
I'm sure Nebraskans will be thrilled to have lions prowling about.
Obviously we need to seed Tompkins County with sentient life, as there seems to be a local shortage.
I guess so - the weapon used to wipe out elephants in Africa is the AK-47 and AKM. Just hose the elephant and wait for it to die.
Wouldn't try to take it with a headshot though, like they did with those big .60 Nitro Express rifles.
Lions, water buffalo and hyenas in Central Park is a fine idea. And we can pass laws telling New Yorkers that the animals can't be shot or their habitat disturbed. I'd add that no new construction is allowed within 50 miles of their habitat.
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