Contents God knows where the wild creatures belong by Nathaniel R. Dickinson Introductions of new species or restoration efforts can be construed as quite presumptuous. Even though the animals in question may be released on public lands or private holdings with the owner's permission, populations will spread into adjacent private lands, if the undertaking is successful.
Many people object, and rightly so, to having someone's domesticated dog wander onto their property.
Yet the rules change if the offending species is wild and happens to be labeled endangered. If the landowner has the audacity to destroy an animal for his safety or to protect property, he can be expected to pay a stiff fine and face sentencing. Another excuse for so-called restoration efforts is that they are justified anywhere the species once occurred. This might be acceptable if historical records were reliable and the Earth was in a static state. However, scientific attention to wildlife is relatively new, and past occurrence and range documentation can be scanty.