Monday, July 08, 2013

Does the War Between Ranchers and Native Predators Need to Go On? video


Wild Things, an award-winning film produced by the Natural Resources Defense Council, explores the age-old battle between ranchers and wild predators and questions whether this battle really need go on. The film is basically a polemic against the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program that kills tens of thousands of native carnivores, including coyotes and wolves, by brutal means such as poisoning, aerial gunning, and trapping.  The program is given millions of taxpayer dollars each year to kill animals at the request of ranchers and state wildlife management agencies.  The film shows how the actions taken to eradicate these wild predators are not cost-effective and certainly not humane.  Using the evidence of science to back its claim, Wild Things makes the point that the brutality used to capture and kill these animals is unnecessary. While it's true that wild carnivores can be a threat to livestock, they also play an important role in keeping ecosystems healthy. And it is actually possible for us to coexist with wildlife. To present its case against top predator killing, the documentary includes a spectrum of speakers, from scientists and conservationists to former Wildlife Services trappers, who support alternative means of protection against predators. It also introduces viewers to progressive ranchers who learning to use new technology and old animal husbandry practices in order to live more harmoniously with their traditional enemies...more

Grab a bag of popcorn, sit back in your favorite chair and enjoy this fun-filled video.  Better save some of that popcorn to throw at your screen.

Here's the trailer:


http://youtu.be/5ImI_DmzKqY

2 comments:

Food for Thought said...

I agree that we need to coexist with all these animals! Balance is the key, and it is indeed cruel how they are often killed.

Anonymous said...

And as the trailer said, in horrific ways. If we truly are the dominant species and as intelligent as we claim, we need to learn how to live with these predators.