Don't do this: Tourists crowd right next to a bear in the Smokies [More]Every one of these idiots would have deserved whatever happened to them. My first thought was there's an animal that's been conditioned to lose its fear and is going to end up destroyed after it does what comes naturally.
[Via Michael G]
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The Royal Palm Visitor Center at Everglades National park is adjacent to a pretty good sized pond. The side of the pond nearest the Visitor Center building has a low rock wall which follows around the side of the pond and separates it from a paved walkway that leads to a boardwalk out over the swamp.
In essence, one side and half of another of the pond are separated from the public and the trail by that wall. The opposite two sides are open to the swamp, and half of the side nearest the trail is open as well.
Needless to say, the pond's banks are a great place for alligators to sun themselves and that includes the side nearest the trail. One afternoon I happened to see a lady stand her small son right next to a 4 footer sunning himself on the bank and back off to take a picture. I can't be sure whether the alligator, who popped one eye open in obvious surprise, was more shocked than I was. When I suggested that her son was just the right size for that size alligator to consider as likely prey she replied "This is a tame alligator. The government would never allow wild animals to be this close to people."
Once upon a time there was this guy named Charles Darwin.....
Curiously enough, upon reading " My first thought was there's an animal that's been conditioned to lose its fear and is going to end up destroyed after it does what comes naturally.", my first thought was to replace the words "an animal" with the words " a government".
Both should be recognized for what they are and, when they become dangerous, dealt with in a similar fashion.
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