There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
05-30-2015, 06:31 AM( This post was last modified: 05-30-2015, 07:14 AM by peter )
No. Here's why.
The intention is to create a stage for those without a voice. We want to inform the public about the world and the plight of animals walking the edge. There are many and they are not heard. We want to concentrate on issues neglected, ignored or dismissed by biologists. Discussing the outcome of hypothetical encounters between animals who do not meet in natural conditions compares to starting a forum about the disadvantages of, say, guns and starting debates about the advantages in order to attract traffic. It can only result in a loss of focus, a loss of credibility and destruction.
Another reason is fights attract posters we don't want. If there's one thing we learned in the past, it's that those interested in debates about (hypothetical) fights often use debates to start a war themselves. In the majority of cases it will result in a bad climate, tension and overactive mods first and destruction later. Remember all of us (owners and mods) have plenty of experience in this department. The first thing we agreed on after the destruction of AVA was no more debates about fights.
The third reason is of a different nature. We want to create something different. One way to get there is to avoid competition. How assess competition? You visit other forums. We did. And what did we see? Most forums are loaded with (hypothetical) fights and one-sentence posts. What those participating really want, is to start a fire.
I agree well-informed and well-trained posters should be able to discuss (the possible outcome of) encounters between animals, but experience says it is close to impossible. Most of those interested in animals are interested in one animal in particular. In many cases, they feel strongly connected to their favorite. So much so, that a debate about encounters with other animals is close to impossible. Some use one-sentence posts loaded with ammunition for 8-inch guns, but I know well-trained professionals who, although they hide behind peer-reviewed documents and logic, have even larger shells. That's just the way it is.
One more remark to finish with. When we started, we had no clue as to what to expect. Tomorrow or the day after, the number of hits will exceed one million. This in 14 months only. It means we are doing something right and my guess is no fights, strict moderation and quality are the most important factors. If I was asked to choose one of the three, I'd say quality. If you visit our forum and read a few posts, no matter what thread, chances are you will feel commitment and real interest sooner or later. The invisible world of animals apparently is interesting for many. Maybe visitors also appreciate the absence of malice.
We have a few threads which have posts about (the outcome of) encounters between different species, but they inhabit the same region and really meet on a regular basis. There's nothing hypothetical about encounters between Amur tigers and Amur brown bears in wild Russia. If you want to talk about hypotheticals and fights between animals who do not meet in natural conditions, I would advice to visit other forums.
Regards on behalf of Sanjay, Apollo, Guate and Tigerluver,
