are cougars even big enough to kill adult humans? i'm picturing a fifty
pound cat.... and while i'm sure a fifty pound cat could kill some adult
humans, i'd like my chances with a staff or some such rudimentary weapon...
are they bigger than that?
bryan
-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Bissell <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Saturday, December 12, 1998 11:39 AM
Subject: Re: Is Altruism consistent with environmentalsim?
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: John Michael <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Friday, December 11, 1998 4:48 PM
>Subject: Re: Is Altruism consistent with environmentalsim?
>
>
>(snip)
> The cougars
>>apparently lose the natural fear of humans while feasting on domestic
>>animals such as horses and dogs. My neighbours lost two dogs and a horse
on
>>two separate ocassions.
>
>Why do you think cougars have a "natural" fear of humans? I would judge
that
>to be unnatural. One of the reason big fierce animals are so wonderful is
>because they remind us of the fact that death can come so easily in nature.
>I wouldn't give a hoot for a cougar or bear who was "naturally" afraid of
>me, that sounds like a zoo animal. I fully expect a hungry cougar with the
>opportunity to try and kill me and eat me. To do otherwise may be
>"unethical" (I forget all the signs, so I put that in "." to indicate that
I
>don't really mean that the cougar makes a choice between right and wrong in
>a cognitive sense). An "ethical" cougar is one who follows
>ecological/evolutionary rules and one of those is killing and eating
>suitable prey. Nothing in nature says humans aren't suitable prey for big
>fierce animals. I've been a professional wildlife biologist for about 30
>years and I've always thought that an appropriate death, in a few more
years
>hopefully ;-) would be to be eaten by a bear or shark or something.
>
>In BC we have a good deal very good records on
>>pepper sprays and the sprays have really been effective. However on the
>>Alaska highway recently a bear was repeatedly sprayed as it munched on
>>garbage at a roadside rest stop. The bear kept coming back after spraying.
>>One variety on the market was pulled of the shelf due to ineffectiveness.
>
>I guess if these pepper sprays give you the feeling of safety, they are
>alright. However, I wouldn't depend on them to save my life.
>
>Bissell
>
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