Some interesting reading..

With winter set in, the long evenings do make ideal time to do some extra reading.
Here are a couple of links to some thought provoking pieces all to do with large predators.

I am always looking for more information, how we can find ways to be able to ranch together with our wild neighbours. I do believe that large predators  play an essential role in our ecosystems and despair at how easy governments can forget this!

George Wuerthner has a very outspoken view on the environment, ranching and wildlife.  He has traveled extensively in the USA, is a professional photographer and has published numerous books.
As an ecologist he has written some very interesting and thought provoking articles.

Here are two of his articles, the first one is about why he feels wolf hunts are morally corrupt and the second is about the effects of cougar hunts in Oregon.

Interesting.

http://gwuerthner.blogspot.com/2011/09/wolf-hunts-morally-corrupt.html

 and
http://gwuerthner.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html

And, of course there is nothing like a cartoon to put it all into perspective: