* When Animals Attack! *

[strongvoicesforward]

We always hear how humans have the right to do with animals whichever way they wish -- often premised on the �gmight makes right�h argument. People slaughter them for food, force them to entertain us, eradicate them as pests, wear their skins, test products on them, vivisect them, experiment on them, and hunt them.

Some may even feel insulted if the animal opposes too much about their lot in life, "How dare the lowly beast protest my planned use for it! Go quietly or yours will be a worse death for not doing so."

However, occassionally an animal will switch roles on a human and force the human to feel what it is to understand the flawed philosophy of �gmight makes right.�h Protesting death to the last, humans feel it is a primitive/barbaric circumstance that they should be at the mercy of animals and made food out of to later be turned into biomass waste for the Earth from a digestive tract. The irony of protest is loud -- only humorous in the sadness that many people are unable to empathise and jump out of their skin into another to experience that which could cause him or her to be moved to compassion and mercy.

It`s a shame that terror can only be understood when claws or fangs are tearing at the flesh. Likewise, when we have the ability to choose to raise above our passions and nature but do not, we are more guilty in beastliness than any animal.

This thread will put forth incidences in which animals have turned the tables, attacking and fighting back, and when man/woman/child has been at the receiving end of no mercy. If you have interesting stories in which the human did not walk away or was severely injured after a chance or a planned meeting with an animal, then please share it.

So, if animal attack human stories attract your attention, get ready for: WHEN ANIMALS ATTACK!

[strongvoicesforward]

On Sunday in Sierra Leone, a group of 31 chimpanzees escaped from the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary.

Where were they headed? What was their plan as they swung through the branches and ran on the ground to their destination? Where did they stop to communicate their plan to one another?

We may never know, but one thing we do know: they attacked a taxi driving on the roads carrying three American passengers.

Descending upon it, all the passengers were brutally pummeled requiring hospitalization and an amputation of a hand from one who was severely mauled.

The driver faced a worse fate -- death. The chimpanzees literally ripped his body apart.

See story HERE.

Does might make right? Is terror understood when at the mercy of a stronger being? Does empathy grow?

For some, yes (i.e. empathy grows). For some, the leap is too wide a chasm to cross to act on. Those are the ones who continue to withhold mercy when they have it in their ability to extend it.

[Noseybonk]

This thread sounds like some dodgy Fox TV show. "When animals attack", "When pets go bad", "When buildings fall over". It kinda icky and trashy

[Maciamo]

I have decided to undelete this thread, as I don't see any reason to remove or close it. This topic is quite interesting. Most humans eat meat (I do too), and some do not mind killing endangered species just for the thrill of eating something "rare" (I am thinking about some Chinese people in particular).

Humans have now reached a position of nearly absolute domination over the other species of the earth. While 100 years ago, the mighty tiger still terrorised villagers in India, and other wild animals were a common threats to people in the Amazon, Africa or even Australia, today, with guns, antivenoms and all, accidental human deaths make the headlines due to their exceptional character. I recently saw in the French TV news a headline about a wolf that had killed some sheep in the East of France. No human casuality, but that was "wild" enough to make the 8pm news ! (well, it did make the news justly because a farmer eventually killed the wolf, which is a protected species in France, and was fined accordingly).

I am also for the protection of nature, and especially endangered species, and I do think that not enough is done to protect our natural heritage. While I have grown somewhat indifferent at hearing about human conflicts around the world, nothing makes me more angry than the reports of thousands of square kilometres of Amazon forest burned each year, and all the animal and plant species (some unknown to us yet) which disappear on a nearly daily basis.

[strongvoicesforward]

I have decided to undelete this thread, as I don't see any reason to remove or close it. This topic is quite interesting.

Thank you, Maciamo.

It is an interesting topic, and it has nothing to do with enjoying someone being killed by an animal. But, it can let us see just how vulnerable we are still to the animal kingdom when we come into chance contact with it. At the same time it can let us see that our vulnerability could be a bridge to empathy. After all, we all bleed, we all scream, we all want to be out of harms way.

[Mike Cash]

http://www.vaguebuttrue.com/genius.h...imalsAreAginUs

or listen: http://www.vaguebuttrue.com/bt2_4416m.mp3

[moffeltoff]

Well we will all go to hell anyway so why not have some fun while were around

No seriously I have decreased the amount of the meat I eat by quite a bit after seeing some quite disturbing stuff and will probably stop eating meat all together quite soon,but I don�t think ,that humans are supposed to be herbivors I�m only going to stop eating meat for moral reasons.A human is just as much a carnivor as he is an herbivor and I think eating meat should be possibul ,but not in the way we deal with meat today I think having meat 2 times a week is fine for anyone.

[strongvoicesforward]

Habitat being fractured, game being depleted, environment being assaulted; animals are at times forced to hunt the most vulnerable. Unfortunately, that could at times mean us -- after all, we are slow, comparably have weak senses, and often than not display little common sense. 45 yr old Chanchal Baria of Vemali village in India found that out the hard way.

While washing her clothes in the murky waters of the Ghat river, a 7 foot crocodile leapt our and grabbed her pulling her into deeper water. Screaming with the animal gnawing at her arm, villagers gathered to throw rocks at it to scare it away. It did finally leave, but Chanchel`s mangled arm sent her to the hospital in serious condition.

Though used to crocodile presence�\there are over 100 [crocodiles] in Vishwamitri ravines�\the 300-odd families in Vemali, a village on the outskirts of Vadodara, are now terrorised. They say the animals have started turning on the humans only recently.

See story here: Crocodile attacks leave villagers scared

Yes, �gterrorised�h is an apt term.

Haven`t we terrorised the animal world with our ruthless exploitation of them for more than just our palate? How many aligators and crocodiles have been killed for boots, belts, wallets, etc... to adorn our bodies? Chanchel wasn`t going to be turned into a fashion statement. She was just going to be a meal for the animal to survive on in its ever shrinking habitat size as the villagers encroached on its territory.

We should try to stop world hunger. It`s bad in all its forms. No species has a monopoly on the sadness and suffering of what "world hunger" means. As does no species has a monopoly on being scared for its life at the weapons of death -- gun, knife, tooth, or claw.

[nurizeko]

I have to admit, the selfish treatment of our natural resources by logging companies, and the energy companies general intolerance to human compassion and you know, saving the enviroment for those of us without billions to pay our way into the new ARK's that will no doubt be required to save a pitiful slice of humanity from enviromental collapse, does annoy me.

Alot.

Then again, very few people actually seem to have more of an interest in the general survival and advancement of the human race then their own small personal issues.

In my country the most important things today is the bloody state of the economy with a 0.5 percent discrepency causing economic fluctuation and will cause the price of property to rise making the stupid second home owners have to pay out a few extra quid and some stupid ginger chav footballer's leg: will it heal or not?.

its amazing how these small stupid pointless things seem more important and hidden from people then you know....the one thing your programmed to do....survive.

I'm sure the survival and prosperity of the human race will really be assured by allowing climate change to go on without any action taken from countries to try and lessen its impact, or cutting down all our forests that regulate the atmosphere's oxygen and carbon dioxide levels because you just gotta have that butt ugly chair from ikea.

Rant off.