do you intervene with cruel nature?

[Supernal]

I've intervened:

I saved tadpoles from frying in the sun after the puddle dries up by moving them to a plastic container.

I move earthworms off the sidewalk and back to the grass (again, so they won't fry).

I've rescued things from fire ants.

I do that as well. I even put spiders outside, instead of killing them. I don't know how I'd react to rescuing wildlife. Very often, I've seen nature documentaries where there's a baby seal gone far from its mother and then you see a polar bear approaching it. I think I'd be tempted to intervene, no matter how foolish it may be. My response to nature should go beyond what I think is cute.

 

[Lightning Fish]

Last I looked, humans are not part of the shark food chain.

Why not? There are enough reports on Scubaboard about surfers being attacked/eaten by sharks, when the shark is just doing what a shark's gotta do.

Bill.

 

[Kevfin]

Nope, I don't. Live and let live, or live and let die... I don't feel it's my place to intervene. My presence is enough of an intrusion as it is. This doesn't apply to lobster hunting... or helping my buddy get a lobster...

ah fish sticks, I dropped my hamburger while typing this post...

 

[Iruka]

Actually, I "rescued" a small wrasse today, but not really from nature. There's a popular site here (Gab Gab 2) where fish are fed either from large buckets (full of fish parts to bring in the big trevallies) or from suspended mesh bags filled with a combination of dog food & green peas (feeds mostly the batfish, fusillears, snappers & other assorted smaller fish.) Anyhow, I noticed an 8" wrasse that had gotten into the bag via a smallish hole in the netting, and didn't seem to have any clue on how to get out. Thought it was dead, actually.... Anyhow, after a couple minutes, finally managed to get its head pointed out through one of the holes, and it swam away, looking none the worse for wear. It didn't even give me a "thank you" wave (like when someone lets you into traffic,) so I'm kind of annoyed about that. I'd been secretly hoping it had been Jessica Alba or someone like her, turned into a fish by some curse, who'd return to human form upon release......'twas not to be, though.

 

[tiburon72157]

i would interfere if it were baby sea turtles and the gulls, crabs, etc. were just tearing them up by the hundreds/thousands as they tried to enter the water.

if i found an exposed egg case of a shark, skate or ray, i would relocate it to a better protected area to help ensure the pups have a better chance.

and i try to educate people about sharks and their importance in the ocean's food chain, in the name of awareness and conservation of my brother fish.

 

[pakman]

Very often, I've seen nature documentaries where there's a baby seal gone far from its mother and then you see a polar bear approaching it. I think I'd be tempted to intervene, no matter how foolish it may be. My response to nature should go beyond what I think is cute.

I think the moral thing to do in that case is to club the baby seal before the polar bear gets to it...

actually might be the safe thing to do now that I think of it considering that polar bear is one of the few animals that are known to actively hunt humans... club the baby seal and run like hell!

 

[docmojo]

We are a soft people.. We let others do our dirty work. we get our meat in the stores... I say as hard as it maybe... they are just living like us, but hey have to hunt their food so let them be unless it's a person...

 

[drbill]

Actually, I "rescued" a small wrasse today, but not really from nature. There's a popular site here (Gab Gab 2) where fish are fed either from large buckets (full of fish parts to bring in the big trevallies) or from suspended mesh bags filled with a combination of dog food & green peas (feeds mostly the batfish, fusillears, snappers & other assorted smaller fish.) Anyhow, I noticed an 8" wrasse that had gotten into the bag via a smallish hole in the netting, and didn't seem to have any clue on how to get out.

This may be a case where I'd make an exception. When an animal is endangered due to human activity (the feeding bag), I have no problem intervening to rescue them. For example, if I run into fish or lobster caught in a lobster trap, I remove them and "gently" crush the trap to smithereens (they are illegal on this side of Catalina)

Yes, you could argue that humans are part of the natural system (and food chains) and I would have difficulty arguing against that. However, I don't always act with the cold, objective mind of the scientist!

 

[Hank49]

If it's a shark and there is anything good to eat left of the prey, scare him off and keep what's left. They try to do it all the time so it's "get even time" haha.

 

[nkw5]

I think the assumption of this thread is wrong. Nature, unlike some humans, is not cruel, nor can it be. Animals kill to live. Humans should not intervene with the natural food chain. This said however I must admit I have never seen a predator attempt to eat anything I considered cute. I probably would want to intervene. How's that for hedging my bet?