Problem
Feral mammals
Other Names:
Feral livestock Nature:
Feral animal are descendants from once domesticated animals that have escaped or were set free and may have interbred with native species. They are interlopers in their environment. They often have no natural predators to control populations and can destroy whole ecosystems.
Incidence:
Feral pigs have contributed to the destruction of one third of the bird species on the Hawaiian Islands and to the disappearance of the land iguanas and the poor survival rate of Galapagos tortoise on the Galapagos Islands. In Australia, more than 20 kinds of feral animals, including camels, dogs (dingoes), and water buffaloes are destroying habitat and threatening domestic animals.
Broader Problems:
Destructive wildlifeEscape of domesticated animals into the wild Narrower Problems:
Feral catsUncontrolled dogsStray dog populations Related Problems:
Feral childrenOver-population of wild animals Aggravates:
Land degradation References:
World Conservation Union: Feral Mammals: problems and potentialMcKnight, Thomas L: Feral Livestock in Anglo-America Subject(s):
Agriculture, Fisheries → Animal husbandryBirds, Mammals → Mammals
Geography → Wild
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
E: Emanations of other problems Date of last update
04.10.2020 – 22:48 CEST