Quote:
Originally Posted by Wild&Free
After how many generations does one consider a feral population and wild population? 2, 3, a dozen? Its not like all these horses were released after they were born into domestication is the distinction I think some people were trying to make.
IMO, if it's born wild, it's wild. If it was born into domestication and allowed to go wild or released into the wild then it's Feral. That is my interpretation of the words, so to me they are wild horses. Insisting that they are feral after several successful generations in the wild is putting a negative connotation on the animal that did not choose to be born where it was but is doing what all life does, survive and reproduce.
The fact that this turned into a debate over what wild and feral mean, some of you seem to be grasping at straws trying to keep your arguments relevant. You kind of got lost in the fervor to convince others that these animals are a problem. Still haven't seen much, if any, evidence to support that claim.
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The debate over whether they are feral or wild is very important to how they will be treated. It is not mere semantics. Just because you want to have your own definitions of feral and wild does not mean that the scientific community shares those. This isn't grasping at straws but the basic scientific definition of what feral means.
I haven't stated that they were a problem BTW, just that there are way more now than their used to be. I would like to see firm peer-reviewed eividence indicating that they are or aren't causing a negative impact before I call for protection or eradication or a cull.