After almost a 100-year
hiatus one of the North East’s original predators appeared back in the North
East. Early in the 1980’s numbers
of sightings including those by experienced observers began to pop up in the
Adirondack region. Eventually DNA
tests were able to confirm their presence in Vermont and the surrounding
northeast (51, Atlas). To some it
is exciting to hear prospects of the North East becoming home to North
America’s big cats while others hope they remain away.
Established
breeding populations in the west are beginning to migrate east and have established
populations in the Mid West. Male
cougars are known to roam thousands of miles as evident by the DNA testing of a
cougar that was hit by an SUV in Connecticut in 2011 (Obrien). Further DNA testing after a sighting
confirmed that this particular cat passed through Lake George in the
Adirondacks before continuing on to Connecticut. The reason for these cat’s travels is to search for a female
to settle down with. Unfortunately
due to the fact female catamounts do not often roam to quite these lengths it
is unlikely for them to find one in the North East. In order for a breeding population to establish, it is
likely that humans would need to relocate female cougars to the area (Ring). Relocation of a major predator is an
extremely controversial idea.
The
main opposition to reintroduction of Eastern Cougars relates to their original
extirpation due to the threat they pose to farmer’s livestock. The elimination of threat to livestock
results in another issue as the prey of the top predators populations boom and
vegetation suffers. Farmer’s
mindset against large predators can seem hypocritical as crops are greatly
affected by the large deer populations feeding on crops.
Scientists
have reversed the methodology of the food chain to a top down approach. “A scientific consensus is emerging
that (Apex predators) are critical to ecosystem function, exerting control over
smaller predators, prey, and the plant world” (Fraser). According to these findings the
biodiversity of the North East has existed below its potential health since the
arrival of humans and the disappearance of the top of the food chain. Caroline Fraser, an author for Yale
Environment 360, compares the removal of apex predators to a “global
decapitation of the system that support life on earth”.
It
must be pointed out that this support system is also one that humans rely
upon. Humans were the ones that
removed the great predators from our region, why is not our responsibility to
help them return? If the benefits
provided by apex predators to biodiversity and the ecosystem are not enough,
then consider the demand for ecotourism ($) that these wonderful creatures
could provide. Go Cats Go.
Cited
Fraser,
Caroline. 2011. The crucial role of predators: A new perspective of ecology. Yale Environment 360.
Lehman, Don. DEC confirms
wild mountain lion in Lake George. 2011 [cited October 8th 2015]. http://poststar.com/news/blotter/dec-confirms-wild-mountain-lion-in-lake-george/article_f70da502-ca83-11e0-b0bf-001cc4c03286.html.
O'Brien, Keith.
Welcome back, mountain lion: Is the north east ready for predators? 2014 [cited
October 8th, 2015 2015]. https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2014/04/11/welcome-back-mountain-lion-northeast-ready-for-predators/c4scczENUHJD3xTwUalidK/story.html.
Ring, Wilson.
Expect cougars to return. 2015 [cited October 8th 2015]. http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/01/expect_cougars_to_return_to_no.html.
Photo courtesy of BigStockPhoto.com
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