Arguing for non-native species
I have written several times about exotic species being let loose in the wild to crowd out Florida's native species and continue to believe there needs to be more regulation of non-native species.
Then I stumbled upon an editorial written to advise people non-natives had every right to be in the state because they really had no impact on the natives. This person went on to talk about propaganda used to distort our feelings about snakes and other reptiles when in truth, they were not nearly as destructive as say, feral cats. What?
That was the statement which caught my eye. It is a scientific fact, feral cats are opportunistic feeders and if a colony is being cared for, they won't go hunt. I know because I wrote an article on this very subject several years ago. This was one argument which has been used repeatedly to try and call for the destruction of all feral cat colonies. Now, this does not mean a feral cat does not occasionally kill another wild animal. House cats will sometimes kill other wild animals. It happens. So do we want non-native species breeding and becoming out of control?
You cannot legislate responsibility. It doesn't work with domestic animals and it sure won't work with exotics. You can, however, limit those which are not native to the state through licensing. I suggest we do that.
Check out the article here.
Then I stumbled upon an editorial written to advise people non-natives had every right to be in the state because they really had no impact on the natives. This person went on to talk about propaganda used to distort our feelings about snakes and other reptiles when in truth, they were not nearly as destructive as say, feral cats. What?
That was the statement which caught my eye. It is a scientific fact, feral cats are opportunistic feeders and if a colony is being cared for, they won't go hunt. I know because I wrote an article on this very subject several years ago. This was one argument which has been used repeatedly to try and call for the destruction of all feral cat colonies. Now, this does not mean a feral cat does not occasionally kill another wild animal. House cats will sometimes kill other wild animals. It happens. So do we want non-native species breeding and becoming out of control?
You cannot legislate responsibility. It doesn't work with domestic animals and it sure won't work with exotics. You can, however, limit those which are not native to the state through licensing. I suggest we do that.
Check out the article here.
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