Critics say the deaths are tragic but have been blown out of proportion.
This is the resurgence of predators like brown bears in Europe which are now so numerous, they pose a threat to human life and agriculture.
In Romania, which is home to the most brown bears in Europe, the animals killed 26 people and injured 276 over 20 years, according to the environment ministry. Data from Eurostat shows that motorised vehicles killed 45,000 people in the country in that time.
We can't really do without motorised vehicles, they are intrinsic to our society. Large man-eating predators, not so much.
But wait, Reader! That's not the daftest assertion they have to make, no, not by a long chalk.
Cultural associations are a problem for the wolf, which has long been portrayed as the villain of fairytales. Helmut Dammann-Tamke, president of the German hunting association and politician with the centre-right Christian Democrats, says the threat of wolf attacks on sheep is “like something on a serving platter” for the far right because it reaches people on an emotional level. “This issue is an incendiary force in the hands of populists.”
Those dastardly far right, errr, wolves.
A 2022 study of German municipalities found that wolf attacks on livestock predict far-right support. After controlling for factors such as immigration and jobs, the researchers found wolf attacks were associated with far-right gains in municipal elections of between one and two percentage points.
And suddently, I'm in favour of 'rewilding' after all!
Environmental activists question whether blanket policies to cull animals will do much to avoid conflicts with humans and have called for measures to promote peaceful coexistence that range from fences and guard dogs to awareness campaigns for visitors.
Sounds a lot like what they call for when they want to persuade us 'diversity is a strength not a threat', doesn't it?
Does remind me of the panic in Oz. They claimed there was the horrid possibility of all the crocodiles being exterminated.
ReplyDeleteOf course it's now forbidden to shoot them. And they're flourishing. And will certainly eat you if you swim in a river in northern Australia.
As you've guessed, I think they should all be shot on sight, as they were in the good old days.
Boganboy
To be fair to bears far more people have been killed by Muslims in that time - and no one says we should get rid of all Muslims - well not publicly
ReplyDelete"Does remind me of the panic in Oz. They claimed there was the horrid possibility of all the crocodiles being exterminated."
ReplyDeleteA species that survived the extinction of the dinosaurs? Yeah, we girls don't need that many shoes and handbags!
"To be fair to bears far more people have been killed by Muslims in that time..."
We aren't going to have to 'rewild' with them too, surely?