A few years back we adopted a jenny from the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro adoption program. We called her Mabel. She had been a resident of a BLM facility in Oklahoma prior to coming our way.
We adopted her because we had been having trouble with coyotes and black vultures harassing new born calves and their mothers. We had lost a few calves and decided a "guard donkey" was probably the best solution.
We considered purchasing a donkey locally, but thought one that had been born in the wild would have stronger protective instincts than one that was raised in a purely domesticated situation. Sure enough, Mabel was true to her heritage and was a protective mother to our baby calves even though they weren't her own offspring.
I spent some time with Mabel breaking her to a halter and to lead. She never completely adjusted to human guidance, but did become less intractable with time.
We needed Mabel because cattle today have had most of their survival instincts bred out of them. They are used to man caring for them rather than having to cope with a far-from-benevolent natural world which would quickly take their life in the never ending struggle for survival. We have civilized them -- bred the "fitness" from them.
I think sometimes that is one of the biggest problems with civilized humanity today....
No comments:
Post a Comment