Humans and bears - Wild encounters

[peter]

Dedicated people at work over there, Brotherbear. I hope the project will succeed.

Big predators and humans, most unfortunately, don't mix. Anywhere. When they go for a swim, Australians know they enter the realm of hunters known to attack humans at times. Although accidents are few and far between, people are killed every year. In some years, more than a few die before their time. This is when the situation, protection or no protection, can get tense. Those out for revenge, however, often are unable to contact the killer. The sea is large and deep, but continents are not. Big predators living in a region where a human has been killed can be located and shot. There are many Irenes.  

What I'm saying is there will always be a battle for territory, as that is what it really comes down to. It would take centuries of strict separation, education, legislation and protection to create conditions in which humans and big predators, perhaps, can co-exist. I don't see it happening anywhere soon, but you never know. In some countries, people seem to take pride in their wildlife. To a degree, they also seem to be willing to accept the results of frequent interaction. We also know that predators are able to adapt. Mumbai leopards show how it's done, but there is a difference between them and big predators. Big predators need big room and big game animals. For many of us, entering their realm would compare to entering a kind of Jurassic Park.   

What we need is a thorough study, firm decisions and immediate action. Most of all, we need hundreds of thousands of square miles of pristine forests. That and a completely different outlook. 

A few weeks ago, I saw two maps: one with pristine (intact) forests in 2000 and one with pristine forests in 2016. The losses were significant everywhere, but Canada, Russia and Brazil top the list. If we continue in this way, all intact forests will be gone in 20-40 years (closer to 20). The only region where it would take a bit longer is western Africa.

I'm very interested in the natural world. Same for Sanjay. This is why we started the forum. The last thing we need is pessimism, but that is a very tough call. People need to get together to talk about the future and they need to do it real fast. We need a policy that will enable us to survive, but what we see is uninterrupted destruction everywhere. That and more people every year.  

In 2-3 generations from now, the natural world will be a thing of the past. Young people would need to read books in order to get an idea. But why would they be interested in something they never knew? Besides, books could be gone as well. They already are on their way out and so is reading. How to destroy a civilisation, lesson one. 

I don't know if you heard about 'Into the heart of darkness' (Joseph Conrad). My advice is to find it. There are more great books about the essence of the natural world. Hemingway is right there. The best one I read is 'Jungle Pimpernel' (A. van kampen), but I don't think it was translated. Reply