A Look At Animal Conflict

In Dec. 2020 officials with the Hood County Sheriff’s Department released information on a man found killed there and they declared the cause of death was from an animal-in fact they said it was a mountain lion attack.

Shortly thereafter, wildlife officials including Texas Parks & Wildlife Department officials said the attack was not from a mountain lion.

This article is not to debate either point. It is to examine how quickly the public comes to either defend animals that do attack people or blame people for getting killed by them.

When we reported on the tragic death of an Anahuac woman from a feral hog attack last year people defended the hogs saying it was really dogs. As soon as the Hood County report came out social media were saying it wasn’t a cougar but ia hog killing, a dog killing or a murder.

If the conclusion has changed for example to another animal people would be defending that one too.

Human populations are growing. And populations of many predators are growing.

Grizzly numbers are growing in the Yellowstone region. Wolf numbers in the Lower 48 are growing. Feral hog numbers are skyrocketing. And in some areas cougar numbers are growing.

There will be more attacks on humans. There will be even be more predation on humans. It’s inevitable.

Will it be common? I hope not, but that is irrelevant for someone being mauled by a bear in their backyard.

This is why we have to call a predator a predator.

I am all for the conservation and population sustainability of wildlife, including predators. I am also for the management of those animals and the honest discussion of what they are.

It will save lives.

I’ve read posts regarding stories on proven animal attacks, saying things about the alleged attack like ,” Good, they’re finally taking back their land.”

Another said, “I’m all for animals killing more people.”

Are they really?

Would they be happy with a mountain lion or a feral hog killing their child or spouse?

And if they are we have an even deeper problem.

To move forward with true conservation we have to consider animals and people and if that means taking out a bear or cougar stalking kids on a playground, then so be it.

If those who always defend the predator in these scenarios would put a little energy and finance into helping wild tigers from being slaughtered for their parts in Asia or fighting pollution impacting polar bears for example I would stand with them-on those issues.

Sadly, the only thing they typically stand on is voicing their opinions on social media about how much they hate people and pretend to love wildlife.

True love requires action and that means going beyond pontificating the propensity of animals to attack.

Chester Moore