Invasive alien species are animals that may pose a threat to biodiversity, but it's time to deal with that threat in a more ethical way.
Oh they're fucking FINALLY having this discussion. You would not believe how I see even "nature lovers" (especially nature lovers) talk about invasive species like they're evil demons you can go ahead and burn alive. Article is more about phasing out some exceptionally cruel types of trap but maybe that'll get regular people reconsidering how they treat stuff in their own yards, too.
Because what I feel I consistently observe is that, they might not even realize it at all, but it's like people are playing "acceptable target" with invasives and letting out all their bloodlust. I am not vegan and not against killing organisms in all sorts of contexts but there's no excuse to be callous and spiteful in the process.
:(
How you treat something that has been deemed socially acceptable to hate says a lot about you.
Why we have even conflated sometimes necessary killing of invasive species with “ok to hate them” is disturbing also.
It is also unusual that at the exact same time as when we are talking about invasive animal this or that…we have some news stories out here of someone killing a snake or a mountain lion or whatever to save their farm animals. Their farm animals. Their goats and cows and sheep. You know, animals that can become feral and just as invasive. You know, animals that, more explicitly than others, we brought to other places. You know, animals that currently, as we speak, have feral and invasive populations running around. That, perhaps more obviously than any other invasive animal, was explicitly caused by us humans?
There is NO morality attached to any animal or plant being invasive. There is NO animal or plant that does anything because they’re “evil” or “trying to destroy the environment”. No, not even feral goats or chickens or so on. They are only trying to live, because they have to for their own lives. It’s simple survival instinct, and you would do so also, so don’t act above it.
But there IS morality attached to whether or not you derive legitimate joy out of killing and torture. There IS morality attached to YOU if you use invasive animals or plants as an excuse to be needlessly violent for your own pleasure.
If you aren’t hunting something to eat, if you aren’t killing something for necessity…if you take the extra step—and it IS an extra step—of torturing, causing pain and suffering, then you are just an animal abuser.
If you feel pleasure or joy out of killing, or you take extra steps to cause prolonged pain and suffering by torturing, even the smallest, most invasive insect, something is wrong with you. The opinions of animal abusers should be ignored and considered 100% irrelevant in ecology discussions.
And another thing, let’s be real, inb4 someone says they’re just trying to protect their native animals and plants…the whole framework of invasive animal/plant is just something that’s often just used as an excuse to these animal abuser freaks out here. They aren’t really interested in ecology, conservation, and restoration.
Are they reading and up to date with the literature on ecology? Probably not. Do they join restoration groups? Probably not. Do they help researchers collect data to help find ways to help native populations of animals/plants? Are they a researcher themselves? Are they doing anything—ANYTHING—else other than torturing and killing an animal because they heard it was invasive and therefore nobody cares? Probably not. By the way some people do care.
*if you’re not an animal abuser freak, this isn’t about you.
