But that is rapidly changing. We used to have a similar world in North America with millions of bison roaming vast plains, being preyed upon by wolves and other predators. Bears and cougars kept deer and other species numbers in check. We decimated these populations because of fear and competition for resources. But now, we are trying to restore many of these species to some of their original habitats.
Nature has an incredible, miraculous, long term system to make it all work.
We are merely tinkering with something we know little about. And now Africa is fighting the same battles. The complexity of the issues are overwhelming, but the results of in-action are unthinkable. That's why the work of these dedicated field researchers is so important - informed decisions will need to be made by local governments if these animals are going to survive. Ultimately, we have to think we will be able to strike a balance between the needs of wildlife and healthy habitat and the human race.