Hobbies And Interests
Injure or Kill People and Their Pets
Many mammals cause injury or death to humans and other animal victims they attack. Predators such as lions and bears often attack in rivalry over mates, protection of their young, pursuit of territory or the need for food. Humans attack and kill for numerous reasons, some of which are intentional such as during the commission of a crime and some unintentional like acts of self-defense. Even smaller mammals such as raccoons and coyotes can cause injury to humans or human pets, especially when these wild animals wander into populated areas looking for food.
Harm Waterways
Mammals such as beavers inadvertently cause harm in waterways like creeks, ponds and lakes. Beavers need to build dams to create pools of water in which to live. Because they are very clumsy out of the water, they are more vulnerable to predators on land. They build lodges for a protected place to live and raise their young in deep sections of their chosen water habitat. This behavior can cause harm to waterways used by man because it can result in flooding crops, trees and bushes and washing out roads. Fish can also be adversely affected by beaver dams when the dams prevent the fish from being able to get up or downstream to spawn.
No other mammal causes such destruction to waterways as does man. Deliberate pollution by uncaring companies that intentionally dump harmful waste products in waterways is rampant. Oil spills are constantly in the news. Lakes, ponds and oceans are continually polluted by chemical runoff from human carelessness.
Destroy Crops and Other Vegetation
Deer, elk and other grazing mammals destroy farmers' crops and prized vegetation such as vegetable and flower gardens. Sometimes humans deem it necessary to kill or capture animals to keep them from harming crops. According to the University of Michigan, rhinos cause destruction to crops by both trampling and eating them. The rhinoceros was slaughtered during an Indian government bounty hunt that was set up to protect tea plantations.
Spread Disease
Any mammal with rabies such as bats, raccoons and dogs can spread the disease if they bite another animal. Humans often unintentionally spread disease to each another and have been known to deliberately do this such as in the case of bio-terrorism and sometimes through sexually transmitted diseases. Salmonella can be spread by rats that enter homes and restaurants, and it can also spread to humans who don't wash their hands after cleaning up after pet animals such as dogs, cats, horses, turtles and birds.