Blimey, that's a good question LS The dinosaur reign was incredibly long. I doubt very much the human race will have quite the same timespan, and from a purely personal POV, it may be better if we didn't!

Pod hi: I'm quickly doing this reply at work before 9 am.

Don't worry, you haven't offended me, as I've said before, I have the skin of a rhino - and the wrinkles and the face to match unfortunately!

The point I am trying to make is that the wolf is NOT any different from any other species. Every species is just as important than any other if it is on the verge of extinction. I would be protecting rats or bunnies were they teetering on the brink. Every species has its place, and if one goes, something else suffers. Of course throughout evolution, species come and go, but the trouble with man is that it destroys everything it touches so quickly that it can't be considered as evolutionary - indeed, just the opposite, it's revolutionary.

You've been googling Pod haven't you!! Don't know what a taxonomic classification is, shall have to discuss with clever clogs OH tonight!

There have indeed been many mass extinctions over time, including the most famous one, that of the dinosaurs which was not caused by man but by a massive asteroid hitting earth. It is indeed the natural process of evolution - NATURAL being the most important word. But man destroys in such a short period of time, the natural rhythm of life of this planet cannot evolve quickly enough. Since the start of the industrial revolution in the mid 18th century, man has caused the planet to descend further and further towards its inevitable destruction and we are rapidly reaching the point of no return apparently. This is why I despair of homo sapiens.

Which leads me neatly on to your next paragraph - which really I have already answered, but will do so yet again at the risk of boring repetition - this rapid destruction of life at such a rate is most definitely NOT the normal part of evolution. Evolution, as you rightly say, is an incredibly slow process. In 300 or so years, we have wreaked more devastation on the planet than has occurred over billions of previous years.

I hope to goodness that our reign as king DOES come to an end, and another more intelligent, more holistic species takes over otherwise I believe we and all the other creatures on this planet are doomed.

On that gloomy note, I had better get to work else I'll be out of a job!

Good post Gnasher. Well just have to disagree on what actually is 'natural' or normal

I have studied taxonomy a bit. It's just a method we as humans use to classify all living organism. It groups them according to phylogeny, which is relationship by descent.

One point re: Badgers Gnasher, did you know their numbers have been so terrifically increased due to bad management, that there is now a cull on the cards in many areas?


You can patronise till you are blue in the face, I will never ever see the need NOT to cull Wolves, Foxes, Rabbits or whatever is called for at that time. There is no suggestion that the Grey/Alaksan whatever Wolf is becoming dangerously low in numbers, and untill that time, I will agree with what those countries that feel is necessary as I do not see any information to the contrary. If you can find me proof of the Wolves in this area being in danger of becoming extinct, I will rethink my views on THIS situation.
Dawn.

Pod: I apologise for my sarcastic remark about googling. I'll have an interesting discussion with OH when I get home tonight - it will make a pleasant change from discussing this wretched housing development!

Hi Borderdawn:

You said:

"One point re: Badgers Gnasher, did you know their numbers have been so terrifically increased due to bad management, that there is now a cull on the cards in many areas?"

Did you mean to say "terrifically decreased" ? Sorry, not being picky, just assume that this was a typo!

Yes I did, and I think it is absolutely appalling. Whether badgers originally infected cattle with TB, or indeed as some zoologists believe, the other way round, I don't care. The badger is an endangered species like the wolf, and is protected. I live in the heart of a very large farming community, and frequently tell local farmers that I do not believe they have the right to slaughter everything that interferes with their livelihoods. You can image how popular this makes me in the local pub on a Friday night!

I was listening to a very interesting debate about badger culling on Radio 4's This Morning, this morning, and there is still no concrete proof that badgers infect cattle, just the opposite. I think we have a bit of a chicken and egg situation, but I still don't consider that badgers should be culled.

In any case, it would be impossible to wipe out every single badger - there would probably always be the odd one that would manage to elude the hunters, or one or two that would be taken into captivity by well-meaning people, which would defeat the object.

As a child, I knew 2 tame badgers in southern ireland in County Cork. They were called Milligan and Froggety, and they lived wild but would come into the bar of the hotel every night for peanuts, which badgers adore. Everyone had to keep very still, they were very much wild animals, and if alarmed would bite the nearest pair of ankles in panic. They can inflict one hell of a bite, their teeth are amazingly long and sharp, hence the disgusting sport of badger baiting - the badgers put up a good fight against the dogs.

PS to Borderdawn: I am not being patronising. I don't understand this accusation - explain please.

Nobody would want to completely wipe them out Gnasher, that would be awful, but in recent years (and I never mentioned TB ) the numbers of Badgers have INcreased (no typo) hugely in many areas, leading to people thinking there is need for something to be done once more to control their increase. Now personally I have NEVER seen a live Badger in its natural environment, but I have seen the damage they do and the problems they can and do cause, so again should this cull become necessary I wouldnt strongly oppose it.

I agree with the strength of their bite etc.. thats why low lifes fought them against dogs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6653691.stm

Interesting link wrt TB and culling badgers in Ireland.

Saw that LS, interesting that Vets and farmers are the ones supporting the cull and the fact of TB spreading, but "Badgerwatch" who incidently did the study say its "futile"
Dawn.