From WSJ: This year, Princeton, N.J., has hired
sharpshooters to cull 250 deer from the town's herd of 550 over the winter. The
cost: $58,700. Columbia, S.C., is spending $1 million to rid its drainage
systems of beavers and their dams. The 2009 "miracle on the Hudson,"
when US Airways LCC -0.16% flight 1549 had to make an emergency landing after
its engines ingested Canada geese, saved 155 passengers and crew, but the $60
million A320 Airbus was a complete loss. In the U.S., the total cost of
wildlife damage to crops, landscaping and infrastructure now exceeds $28
billion a year ($1.5 billion from deer-vehicle crashes alone), according to
Michael Conover of Utah State University, who monitors conflicts between people
and wildlife...
The resurgence of wildlife in the U.S. has led to an
increase in conflict between wildlife and people. Those conflicts often pit neighbor against
neighbor. After a small dog in Wheaton, Ill., was mauled by a coyote and had to
be euthanized, officials hired a nuisance wildlife mitigation company. Its
operator killed four coyotes and got voice-mail death threats. A brick was
tossed through a city official's window, city-council members were peppered
with threatening emails and letters, and the FBI was called in. After Princeton
began culling deer 12 years ago, someone splattered the mayor's car with deer
innards.
Welcome to the nature wars, in which Americans fight each
other over too much of a good thing—expanding wildlife populations….
Wait, wait…there’s more at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204846304578090753716856728.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read
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