This is also why feral cats can be difficult to actually remove... people think they're cute and get mad at anything regarding their removal.
Zoo/Aquarium Hot Takes
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This is also why feral cats can be difficult to actually remove... people think they're cute and get mad at anything regarding their removal.
Land owners themselves are expected to control rabbit populations on their land. These guys are everywhere too though. The climate is seemingly perfect for them.
The problem with pest control of these species, if you remove 95% of the population, you might as well of not bothered as the remnants repopulate so quickly.
Predator proof fencing and offshore islands are New Zealand’s best defence against pests and have been effective in creating a safe habitat for many native species.
I don’t exactly understand what part of me referring to brush-tail possums are you replying to. I did say.
I am aware that people who share space with these animals see them as mundane similar to how Americans view raccoons. Despite their destructive tendencies and being invasive species, raccoons are adored almost all over the world. Brush-tail possums are barely known outside their native range, and the one foreign country that is familiar with them want them annihilated for good reasons. When I see children’s books or infographics made by non Australians show Australian animals, possums always tend to be forgotten. This is probably because opossums that wrongly get referred as possums overshadow people’s brains and barely anyone uses phalanger.
If you are referring their commonness in the wild as a possible reason why they are phased out in the US then that’s another possible reason. It would be a hassle to get Australia’s permission and go through piles of federal US paperwork to get what could be two common animals, which may not be worth it. However that doesn’t convince me because the US already keeps common Australian animals such as red kangaroos, red-necked wallabies, emus, and laughing kookaburras. I also believe that common brush-tail possums are a nice representative for cuscuses and they could give sugar gliders (and the small amount of feather-tail gliders) a hand in representing phalangeriformes.
I don’t expect every non-Oceanian to be familiar with brushtail possums as if they see one on their way to work everyday or have one living in their walls. However I am just sick and tired that this mundane animal is far less known than other animals such as coatimundi, which while not commonly known by the average Joe, are not as obscure as possums.
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Do you or anyone else here ever believe that the Warriors book series played a factor on why people romanticize these menaces.
But what US Zoo is importing any of those species? All four you named are already well-established, and there's no need to import more to keep the programs going.
I also meant to say that the fact that the brushtail possum population wasn't well established especially before their addition to the Lacey act as an injurious species, simply put, bugs me. A lot.
No it’s most likely the domestication of cats creating a fondness for strays.
Birdsage
Well-Known Member
Opossums were introduced to the Western US, where they became an invasive species (although not to the degree of the Common Brushtail Possum in NZ)
Regarding the subject of introduced species that get away with becoming invasive due to their charismatic nature:
Gray-headed Swamphens (which, depending on the taxonomy used, may or may not be the same species as the popular Pukeko of Australasia) have escaped from private collections in Florida. They may become considered charismatic to the point of people letting them invade. I discussed invasive birds with a former keeper from the Bird Kingdom aviary on the comments section of his YouTube video, and I noted that the Gray-headed Swamphen is one species that we still have time to remove, unlike so many others that are unstoppable at this point, such as the House Sparrow and European Starling. In his reply, he stated that “At first I was like, "Aw, Swamphens are cute!" but that's the problem we're talking about. They don't stop being cute while they outcompete every native species!” This raises a question about whether the eradication of this species may be delayed or worse, never executed at all, due to human cultural attitudes.
On a related note, in the same discussion, I brought up how feral pigeons are becoming popular in North America. For example, there’s the Audubon article about our “misguided hatred of pigeons”, the point being that many people are reluctant to coexist with wildlife in urban areas. I do think that people should be more accepting of wild animals in populated areas, but people should be subsidizing native species, and the Rock Pigeon is not one of them in North America, even though Band-tailed Pigeons, Mourning Doves, White-winged Doves, etc. are fine, however. Then there’s the book A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching, which portrayed Rock Pigeons as the most misunderstood bird. It was authored and illustrated by someone who is otherwise very environmentally literate: the nature cartoonist Rosemary Mosco, best known for Birding is my Favorite Video Game. And what is even worse? It was advertised on the Cornell Lab’s website, of all places, and it was given a seal of approval by the otherwise serious and professional David Allen Sibley, of all people! I must note that the wild form of Rock Pigeons are perfectly fine in Europe where they are from, but even there, the feral variety threatens its wild ancestor.
Therefore, my hot take is that Rock Pigeons (specifically feral ones) are overrated now.
Regarding the subject of introduced species that get away with becoming invasive due to their charismatic nature:
Gray-headed Swamphens (which, depending on the taxonomy used, may or may not be the same species as the popular Pukeko of Australasia) have escaped from private collections in Florida. They may become considered charismatic to the point of people letting them invade. I discussed invasive birds with a former keeper from the Bird Kingdom aviary on the comments section of his YouTube video, and I noted that the Gray-headed Swamphen is one species that we still have time to remove, unlike so many others that are unstoppable at this point, such as the House Sparrow and European Starling. In his reply, he stated that “At first I was like, "Aw, Swamphens are cute!" but that's the problem we're talking about. They don't stop being cute while they outcompete every native species!” This raises a question about whether the eradication of this species may be delayed or worse, never executed at all, due to human cultural attitudes.
On a related note, in the same discussion, I brought up how feral pigeons are becoming popular in North America. For example, there’s the Audubon article about our “misguided hatred of pigeons”, the point being that many people are reluctant to coexist with wildlife in urban areas. I do think that people should be more accepting of wild animals in populated areas, but people should be subsidizing native species, and the Rock Pigeon is not one of them in North America, even though Band-tailed Pigeons, Mourning Doves, White-winged Doves, etc. are fine, however. Then there’s the book A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching, which portrayed Rock Pigeons as the most misunderstood bird. It was authored and illustrated by someone who is otherwise very environmentally literate: the nature cartoonist Rosemary Mosco, best known for Birding is my Favorite Video Game. And what is even worse? It was advertised on the Cornell Lab’s website, of all places, and it was given a seal of approval by the otherwise serious and professional David Allen Sibley, of all people! I must note that the wild form of Rock Pigeons are perfectly fine in Europe where they are from, but even there, the feral variety threatens its wild ancestor.
Therefore, my hot take is that Rock Pigeons (specifically feral ones) are overrated now.
The main reason Florida stopped eradication of swamphens is because lots of people were getting them confused with Purple Gallinules and killing them, too.
Rock Pigeons aren't really invasive in North America, as they aren't really competing with any native species and fill a human-created niche. Pigeons are fine and I love that they are becoming more popular.
Aardwolf
Well-Known Member
Besides, those urban peregrines have to eat something...
Not really
Why not? I've never purchased alcohol at zoo but I imagine it's a pretty good source of concessions income.~Thylo
Birdsage
Well-Known Member
Well, there is always a significant possibility of visitors feeding their alcoholic refreshments to the animals. As you may or may not know, many zoo visitors don’t obey the rules or the signs, and when beer is involved, that can get dangerous in a zoo setting.
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Yes sadly I am familiar with both facts here. Still, while I don't know quite how it works in part because I've never partaken, I would imagine zoos are pretty careful to not let visitors get drunk and likely don't continue to serve alcohol to those clearly impaired. I wouldn't say there is a significant risk of animals being given alcohol if there don't seem to be many cases of it happening. It's a lot harder to sneak an animal a liquid than it is food since you can't just throw the beer at the animal over a moat.
~Thylo
I assume one of main reasons is that zoos are seen as a family friendly destination, with the majority of adult visitors are there purely as the parents or guardians of young children.
I know of many zoos that don’t serve alcohol during daytime hours, but sometimes hold after hours (R18) events e.g. Valentine’s Day, where alcohol is served as part of a package (and rationed out).
Aside from the influence it can have on people’s behaviour, alcohol has caused disruptance to animals in the past. Some clown at poured beer on a tiger from an overhead viewing platform at London Zoo during an after hours event where alcohol was served.
