There is a dedicated herd that roams our neighborhood, ignoring property rights, boundary fences and the persistent stares of passersby.  They are opportunistic foragers, devouring nearly everything that’s green, except the weeds you wish they’d eat. All foliage from the ground to about 5 feet high has been stripped bare and many native plants are suffering, not just the pansies and azaleas.

Having such large wild creatures wandering around the driveway holds a certain fascination for me, even knowing the damage they cause. It’s clear that the dynamic tension of natural processes is interrupted by over-abundant human incursion, and there is no easy fix.

How would our suburban deer fare with less sentimental predators who only occasionally cull their herds with the bumpers of SUV’s? How would things change if we had wolves and mountain lions patrolling the cul-de-sacs?  More rhododendron, less tabby cats? One thing’s for sure, there are lots of vultures around.