Over the last several decades, while humans have expanded their contact with wild predators, they have bred more and more children who grow to adulthood without knowing how to live with wild animals, especially large, fierce ones. Perhaps this is the result of not allowing natural selection to complete its course. Thanks to my mother, I knew at an early age that animals with large teeth are to be respected and one should not invade their personal space. A basic lesson that is often not apparent today. Television has replaced mothers, with Disney channel programs like Going Wild with Jeff Corwin and others showing children that it is okay to walk up to wild animals.
State agencies toil to spread their message about living where urban life meets wild lands.
As people move further from town, homeowners often do not know the fundamentals of living in predator country. Whether or not to have bird feeders, salt blocks, compost piles, beehives, gardens, and orchards should be carefully considered. Remember, in some areas, attracting deer to your yard amounts to baiting for lions. Finally, store garbage properly not only at your home but also at community collection points. He and his wife Diann Thompson own and operate A Naturalist's World in Gardiner, Montana.