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Coyotes, crows, and raccoons are cited as three species that have done better as urban animals than their country brethren. I’m not thrilled about the quasi-do
by peatmoss 8y ago
Coyotes, crows, and raccoons are cited as three species that have done better as urban animals than their country brethren.
I’m not thrilled about the quasi-domestication of coyotes, however I’m thoroughly intrigued by raccoons and crows.
Raccoons: I'd like to start an urban trapping program where the least human-fearing specimens are collected, dewormed, vaccinated, and assessed for sociability. The most sociable are bred, and the least sociable are neutered. I want this for purely selfish reasons as raccoons (trash pandas) are objectively adorable. I reckon this will take fewer generations than the Soviet artic silver fox experiment.
For crows, I’d like to see them become urban cleanup crews... crow crews. Train them to deposit cigarette butts, heroin needles, or whatever other undesirable detritus into safe disposal stations in trade for peanuts. Yes, crows will totally work for peanuts.
It’s time to stop thinking that dogs, horses, and other domesticated service animals should be the only species pressed into service for mankind.
- mmt 8y ago> Yes, crows will totally work for peanuts. They may even prefer them (if whole, in shell) to other "payment". Even though they're fairly bulky, they're not much heavier, and the shell makes for a great preservative, even exposed to weather. Personally, I like using peanuts because it allows me to feed corvids selectively, even in the presence of gulls, who either don't know how or are physically incapable of opening the shell.