Can We Learn to Live with Wild Things?

As we expand and build in closer proximity to once wild range of wild
animals and as urbanites lose contact the natural order and and
behaviors predators conflict becomes more prevalent. How, long will we
tolerate these intrusions into the lives of the Wild Creatures?

In my home state we have seen an increase in number of bears in
proximity to urban development, people are curious and want to feed
these animals and sooner or later there will be trouble. Having grown
up in the country, I have greater fear of other humans then any animal
I have ever encountered in the wild.

On sixty minutes this evening there was a story from Wyoming regarding
the spread of bears outside the boundaries of the Yellow stone Park
Bounders. People are understandably upset with the bears and there
behaviors. However, it is terrible difficult to have a rational
discussion about nature without bringing out the emotional side of
human nature.

Personal I fear that in my life time I will live to see the
expatriation of the wild creatures that are not cute and cuddly such as
deer and song birds. Yet I am depressed with the thoughts of the loss
of the things I knew as a child growing up among the wild creatures. I
understand that it is difficult for a family member who has suffered
the loss of child family pet or lively hood to the wild critters. I
have a friend from Oregon who when I attempted to discuss the old
growth forests became irrational because he made his living at the time
in the timber industry, so I understand that these sorts of
conversations are difficult, but it is important that people discuss
these topics while there is still time to do it in an atmosphere of
civil discourse if that is possible.

Leslie,
I am concerned that if we do not address the concerns of people living
with potential predators they will lose there tempers and take thing
into there own hands. I advocate for the frank and honest discussion of
this topic before people are overheated by someone being hurt. There
appears to be a crowning appeal among certain segments of the US
population to take things into there own hands.

The time to find agreement on how to cope with wild things is while
people are rational and can speak clearly, too many people become over
zealous about subjects after an incident happens and someone is hurt.
In my home state we had a well respected biologist attempt to thin and
improve the deer heard. He was threaten with violence and retired Now
if this can happened with a creature so pleasing as a deer I am alarmed
at what will happen if there is an incident with a bear. As I said
before there is no creature in nature I fear, however I have strong
reservations about humans and there irrational reactions to any
situation.