https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1697&context=animsent
Even in UK government policy which I would expect to be pretty limited in it’s respect for non-human life, all decapod crustaceans are now recognised as sentient ( in addition to all vertebrates ) :
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lobsters-octopus-and-crabs-recognised-as-sentient-beings
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I get it.
I have lived in the same area of the world most of my life.
I see people ooohing and ahhhing over non-native, invasive species (mostly plants) which people don’t realize are negatively impacting the organisms which evolved together over thousands of years.
People posting photos of pretty non-native plants on a Facebook page dedicated to native plants just blows me away.
Some people think it isn’t an issue. I say look back in time, not too long ago when cities and towns were islands, surrounded by nature. Now we have islands of nature surrounded by ever encroaching towns and cities full of people who have no idea what they are missing nor what they are embracing.
The words “pave paradise put up a parking lot” is becoming more and more a reality for so many places. Unchecked development with little thought to the needs of the population of people let alone what is being destroyed is heartbreaking.
In Yosemite National Park, the park decided to discontinue the horse rental and staging area because of all the non native birds it attracted, which if left unchecked can cause all sorts of other issues like rodent infestations etc. Few visitors have any thought to the fact that the plague is alive and well in the Sierras, as is hanta virus, all brought about by thoughtless exploitation of the environment.
Diseases to plants, animals and people have become an ever increasing issue.
One person did a survey of the San Francisco Bay noting that nearly 70% of the organisms are now non-native. Just like introducing European diseases to indigenous peoples, introduced species (land, sky and water) can create havoc among local creatures who have no way to compete nor defend themselves. The Burmese python and dozens of non native species has wreaked havoc in the Florida Everglades, the Zebra fish outcompetes native fish in the nearby waters, the imported raccoons have destroyed thousand year old Japanese temples, the carp in the Great Lakes out competing native fish…the list goes on and on, the impacts, rarely seen nor felt by the average citizen creates a shoulder shrug mentality.
I find it all very disturbing and concerning.
Don’t even get me started on the feral cat and dog populations and the suffering the native environment as well as the former pets go through… grrrrr
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Clearly they don’t know what sentient means. The word is usually meant to refer only to humans - a synonym of sapient.
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The suffering of dumped cats and dogs is dynamic, the increased risk of rabies from feral dogs and cats is highest in countries with high populations of feral pets.
The starvation, disease and stress of dumped pets is unacceptable, their impact on the native populations is astronomical. How is any of this okay.
Take the reduction of mega-predators on the deer population. America has more deer infected with horrendous diseases which causes a slow agonizing death.
Death is never easy but I would rather embrace a death which is quick and meaningful, which benefits many that a slow agonizing one benefiting few.
It’s like the argument that vegetarianism is easier on the environment, which if one really thinks about it, doesn’t make sense. Agriculture kills more creatures per square acre, insecticides are used on bad and beneficial insects, they kill rodents, song birds, birds of prey and often the creatures which depend on those animals for sustenance - the mega fauna. Those toxic chemicals are used on organic farms as well, especially as overspray and are responsible for toxic run off destroying streams and creeks and the entire Gulf of Mexico with toxic algal blooms which kill everything from microorganisms to fish, birds and mammals and is linked to Parkinson’s in people (documentary Toxic Puzzle),
We need to embrace the natural balances of life which have been working for hundreds of thousands of years prior to our impacts
There are many synonym to sentient, the Webster dictionary say and I quote: Synonyms of sentient 1 : capable of sensing or feeling : conscious of or responsive to the sensations of seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, or smelling unquote. Sound like any living thing to me.
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That definition of “sentient” is wrong. “Sentient” does not mean having human-like intelligence. And the notion that a being must have human-like intelligence to have rights is abhorrent. Anything that can think and feel has rights, and defining sentience as sapience leads to the rights of sentient beings who aren’t sentient sapient being neglected.
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@cyanfox, there may be an issue of semantics here. In the US, ‘exotic’ is used almost interchangably with ‘non-traditional’ as well as being used to refer to wild animals being kept as pets. Hence, my comment about ‘exotic pet bans’ that are meant to keep people from trying to house a caiman in the bathtub also banning fancy goldfish – because they’re often sold as ‘exotic’ in the sense of ‘unusual, and bred for that’. I agree that better terminology is needed, but getting people to adopt it is a whole 'nother ball of wax.
@mazer, I agree with you, but I also didn’t say anything about animals being dumped. I was pointing out that the definition of ‘exotic’ often leaves a great deal to be desired, using the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) as the example. I used to be a ‘ferret parent’, and sometimes felt that I should just print out an FAQ to hand people: “Here, read this, and if you have a question or comment that’s not on the list, I’ll be happy to address it.” (Side note, a dumped ferret is a dead ferret – within days. They have almost no hunting instincts, they imprint on the concept of what’s acceptable as food at an early age, they have a 4 to 6 hour input-to-output metabolism, and the overwhelming majority are spayed or neutered as kits.)
As far as the issue of dumped, stray, or feral pets go, I agree. We’ve done our part in our neighborhood to the tune of 23 cats and kittens who are spayed or neutered, off the street, and in loving homes. (One of whom is currently draped around my neck and shoulders like a purring heating pad.) My yard / garden is planted and maintained to be wildlife and watershed friendly. There’s only so much that one not exacty able-bodied member of H. s. sapiens x neanderthalis can do, but whatever I can, I do.
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I get your take and agree with it. However ecosystems are currently under unprecedented threats and as in the case of non-native plants colonizing vast acres of land, and so many people clueless about that impact, I thought it important to highlight
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I don’t think “exotic” is randomly interchangeable with “wild” … but that might be one of those interesting “lost in translation” moments again that might occur when people with different language backgrounds interact.
I do think a ferral dog can be wild while a non-domesticated animal in the zoo might not be… I actually prefer the term “non-domesticated” for the situation you are refering to here
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Wild pets are often called “exotic”. I say that these wild pets should be called “wild” or “undomesticated” instead. Obviously, if someone has an unusual domestic pet, such as a ferret, rabbit or chicken, they shouldn’t call them “wild”. But I don’t think they should call them “exotic” either. In that case, they should call them “unusual”.
And I don’t even think that if someone has a pet that is “exotic” in all three senses, that is; wild, unusual and non-native; should call them “exotic”. Because the term is ambiguous. All uses of “exotic” to refer to pets are wrong and hinder communication. You might mean “wild” but someone else might interpret that as “non-native”.
And the term is meaningless, because all pets are “exotic” in a sense. Because domestic animals are by definition non-native.
I have this exact problem with flies lol. Consider seeing if any local labs or researchers would like to add them to their research collection and how many you can contribute. Now at least they can help us understand other invasives better.
See, what I am saying is that “wild pet”, a term you freely seem to use, is an oxymoron in itself. I don’t think replacing “exotic” with “wild” makes a lot of sense as it feels at least eaqually wrong…
Or actually then I would even prefer “exotic” as it at least has the meaning of “beeing unusual”, which is what people usually indeed want to express when using this term… “wild” ist just plain wrong
Non-domesticated fits much better for what you are trying to say and might often be the best term to use to prevent misunderstandings
I do get what you are trying to say, but I think one misunderstanding is that words often do not only have one meaning and meanings also do shift over time… “Exotic” does not just mean “from a foreign country” but indeed is also used in the sense of “unusual”, not only for pets… In that sense a dog or cat is for sure not “exotic”
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If zoo animals are considered wild, then other non-domesticated animals in captivity must also be considered wild. Including pets.
I get that on iNaturalist, we don’t count organisms as wild if they’re in captivity, but the usual definition of “wild” includes captive non-domesticated organisms.
Exotic pet probably comes out of the ‘pet animal’ trade.
You don’t want a cat or dog from the shelter ! Let me sell you a lion cub instead?
Then the unwanted pets are dumped ‘in nature to survive’.
I would not consider them to be wild
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I generally agree with this. I don’t think animals should bear the brunt of humans failing to be responsible for them.
The issue with feral cats isn’t really as simple as culling them. Ferals and strays will continue to exist as long as people keep abandoning their pets or allowing them to roam freely outdoors* while not neutered or spayed. Culling individual animals isn’t really a strategy that will stop the problem in the long run. Culling one cat just means another cat will take its place.
I agree that feral cat colonies are often bad for the environment, but I don’t think they’re always wrong. In some urban environments, animals that would usually eat rodents (like owls) are rare or non-existent. Meanwhile, people complain about rats and resort to solutions like rat poison, which I’d say is DEFINITELY bad for the local ecosystem, such as it is. For example, if owls do exist but are rare, they’re just going to end up dying as a result of eating these rats :/ And of course, it can be dangerous to children and pets. Feral cat colonies can be a decent compromise in these cases as at least that means no poison. Ideally, more would be done to make ecosystems in cities more sustainable, but that’s a slow process and one that requires a political and social willpower that’s (unfortunately) often absent.
*Which is another major issue, as these animals also can (and do) kill local species, not to mention often being injured or killed. It’s sad that people letting their pets roam around freely is still so common. By this point, I feel like I see more outdoor pet cats than actual ferals.
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To answer this thread’s main question: I don’t pass up on taking pictures of organisms just due to disliking them. It pains me to see some invasive species because of their impact on local ecosystems, but I still enjoy documenting the ones I’ve seen and learning more about them.
There are also some organisms I don’t photograph that often, mainly because they’re so common I unintentionally overlook them, or because taking note of every sighting would be a major hassle!
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I hate to make cat and fox owners uncomfortable, but its a hard truth that if you come across a feral cat in the Australian bush, the right thing to do is to kill it. I have seen a massive beneficial impact in my area from me and others consistently culling foxes and cats- Bandicoots and possums are finally returning, waterbirds are nesting in the waterways, the occasional phascogale has been sighted and there’s even a rakali living in the creek!
I hate to take an animal’s life but we have a responsibility towards the ecosystem- us humans stuffed it up so we should do our best to put it back together.
This is partly true although not always. Consistent control in an area, through shooting or poisoning, has been proven to have a positive impact on the area. Although this will never work with insects or other small, fast reproducing species it is still an effective way to control larger mammal predators.
This applies to natives too- in areas where farms are next door to national parks, Kangeroos (Which breed according to available food) are becoming too common, and often have a negative impact on the environment. In that case too it’s appropriate to consider culling them.
I completely disagree, especially with poison. Not only is it likely cruel to the animals themselves, but it doesn’t sound like the best option for the environment, especially if there’s no strict control over next steps or which poisons are used. A cat dies from poisoning, and then what? A scavenger can get to the body and end up dying as well.
Regarding shooting, where the cats themselves are concerned I’d wonder if everyone is such an expert shooter than they can do so with minimal pain and suffering to the animal. On a larger scale, I’d honestly be worried about the implications to humans of any random yokel with a gun being allowed to shoot it at anything anywhere. I know some countries have terrible gun control, but yikes, no thank you.
Maybe you’re very lucky in that feral cats in your area were a fluke, and their population isn’t being replenished by more people allowing unspayed/unneutered cats outside or abandoning them, but generally, culling isn’t going to be enough if those underlying issues are not addressed. It’s also possible that feral cats haven’t returned to your area now, but a few years and some changes in neighbours later, there could be feral cats again.
As to the kangaroos, I guess that’s another issue I disagree on. To me the solution would be to just not have farms near national parks. (Also, maybe it’s different in Australia, but in some places human economic activities like farms, ranches, etc. in the vicinity of national parks have caused issues due to animals that are unwanted/unwelcome in farms straying outside the parks, or activities in those places having an impact on the park’s environment.)
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