Protecting my flock! *-WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES-*

[BrynnRDH]

Where I live you can actually get in trouble for saving possum babies. The newspaper did an article a couple years ago on a woman who was getting the babies out of roadkill possum's pouches and raising them up and releasing them. She got fined from animal control after the article came out for propagating an invasive species or something.

 

[OzawkieBantams]

Quote:
Where is this ?

 

[brownegger]

A possum is not an invasive species in the Eastern U.S. don't really know elsewhere they may exist. However raising wild animals and releasing them in areas different than where they were found without proper record keeping is illegal.
I consider a possum (since they ARE native) a good possum in their natural environment doing what possums do which is mainly scavenge. I used to believe that a good possum was a dead one too but, I have changed my way of thinking. ( I swerve now not to hit them on the road...LOL) In all seriousness though, all things have a place and a reason to be there. Look at the Red Fox he could be considered an invasive but, they have become naturalized and share niches now with their cousin the grey. Red foxes were brought here because hunters did not find the grey to be as sporting to hunt with hounds. They are now just about everywhere. I do not hesitate to shoot a possum, raccoon, fox, dog, cat, coyote, skunk if they are on my property where they are likely to do damage. Otherwise, I appreciate why they are here and what part they play in an ecosystem. When they are eating chickens or other livestock, they have stepped over the bounds of their niche and it is time to do damage control. Most predator populations are healthy and can withstand plenty of harvest. Fewer and fewer people pursue them for fur and conversely you will have more of them to deal with as the trend continues.

I just don't agree fully with the only good thing is a dead thing. Not a good mentality, be a steward upon the land and not a cancer!

I guess what I'm saying is...buy a fur coat and eat more chinese food. Yep, that should eliminate quite a few predators!

 

[phasianidae]

Well done!

 

[MysticScorpio82]

There is a part of me that feels bad for the babies; but then again the babies would have just grown up and become even more of a pest(& potental predator). Either way that was one heck of a shot! Good job!