Selective Destruction - Wildlife

The selective destruction of one species of an existing fauna can produce equally unfortunate results. The perfect demonstration of unexpected consequences of such destruction occurred in the early years of this century in the USA. In a mistaken effort to increase the deer herds on the Kaibab Plateau, President Theodore Roosevelt, himself a very keen naturalist, authorised the destruction of the natural enemies of the deer, the puma and the wolf. The result was not as expected.

Deprived of their natural enemies, which had served to keep their number in check, the deers multiplied so rapidly that there was soon insufficient grazing areas to support them. As a result what had been fertile grassland capable of supporting large herds of deer was soon reduced to unproductive desert virtually unable to support any wildlife. As their available food supplies diminished so the deers died of starvation in the thousands, and in a very short time the total deer population fell far below what it had been when they were subjected to the full effects of their natural enemies.