Lions In New York?

Lets suppose that the crap does hit the fan, well many major cities and not so major areas have zoos. What happens to those exotic animals (I.E. Lions, and tigers, and bears, etc), they become threats? mabe sources of food? how long will they last? Would they be able to start a sustainable population?

Mod Edit: All Caps – Please Review This Link.


[edit on 27/8/2008 by Mirthful Me]

please explain first how they will escape thier enclosures before they starve to death ?

Originally posted by ignorant_ape
please explain first how they will escape thier enclosures before they starve to death ?

Agreed... even if the entire country goes down the crapper, that doesn't mean that all jails and zoo cages will automatically open and let all the dangerous people/animals out in the street. Unless somebody is dumb enough to go in and break them out, maybe a PETA group or something like that... but I think most people will have better things to worry about. People could try breaking a tiger out and try to train it for protection, but they're more likely to get themselves killed.... although I've seen pictures of gangs in Africa with hyenas on chains, but you'd have to get them from birth to have a chance.

But you are right in that zoos could be a good source of food... most other people probably wouldn't think of it. Just don't bite off more than you can chew.

This happend during WWII in France. With the Germans bombing and supplies running scare, the restaurants purchased the zoo animals and featured them on the menu. Sorry, cant seem to find the link to that.

Anyways, the stores will be looted and robbed in short manner, supplies will diminish very fast, its only logical to conclude that someone gets the idea that there are in fact animals at the zoo that cant escape. Hence, an easy meal. I forsee a mass slaughter and some interesting meals happening in cities with zoos, aquariums, etc...

reply to post by ignorant_ape


Some of us humans would let them out. I know I would try to spring the animals in zoos if it looked like everything was going to crap in an irreparable way.

I know it would not likely save them, but it would give them a fighting chance.

what of the situation of mass power failure were electic fences fail, some larger animals would be able to escape. In the past some animals have managed to escape zoos not to mention private collections. If there is a situation of natural disaster like a Hurricane it is possible that debris could damage the enclosures allowing the animals to escape. I'm not to hung up on the situation, I am more then willing to eating some of the more exotic animals just curious on how everyone feels about the topic.

reply to post by The_Smokeing_Gun
I don't support those PETA freaks in any way, i love to hunt and eat animals. But i also don't like to see them suffer, so if i'm any where near a zoo, i'd let them out.

And probably hunt them down and eat them

Actually I would keep them fed & kill them for food later on. and to whoever would let them loose , just remember they are higher on the food chain than you (not me and my mossberg though) I mean I've heard of the urban Jungle but never took it literally , on a side note we do have mountain lions prowling aroung here in jersey. So this isn't too far fetched

I doubt they would be much of a threat to the population that's left. Would they be able to adapt to living in an urban environment that quickly from previously permanently living in a cage?

Many of the Animals would get free, I have myself actually thought that if I was passing a zoo in a sit x scenario and I safely could, I would free the animals any chance I got.

Obviously I am not alone in that thought

But realistically, like the band playing the final song on the Titanic, the zoo staff would be doing that duty and surely would, they lived and worked with these animals for years, with 100% certainty, within the zoos as people left to find their families in most zoos around the country the animals would be let go and shooed in various directions

also, most cities have "wild animal parks" these would aside from nuclear obliteration be just fine...

especially if the cause of human death was biological... almost all animals would be fine...

Power goes down, trees fall, escape passages are made by digging, lions and tigers in particular would smell the human bodies as they ebcame hungry, a big reason they don't make a break for it more often is apeasement via hunger

then you have circuses and other attractions and wildlife preserves all wide open and cozy all around the country

plenty would get loose and animals have that instinct of where is safe and can sense fresh water by smell their odds would be better than ours frankly

reply to post by PeaceUk


Oh yeah! I love these people that fear the Lions won't adapt lol...commn in the science... hungry lion, running human = Dinner

Maybe at first the eat stray dogs or rummage garbage a little..find a rat, it won't take very long at all

I certinly dont agree with the petta people but i dont want to see an animal suffer, however i sure as hell wont be the one letting animals out of there cages, though i may set up a deer stand and get some fresh meat.

There are more tigers in the state of Texas(approx. 4K) than are running wild in India. I've heard of at least one male African lion that's free roaming in the Ark.-La-Tx region with its abundant deer and wild hog population, a single tiger or lion could easily avoid detection much as the wild red wolves have in Texas. Eastern Texas is actually more heavily forested than Washington or Oregon and these heavy forests stretch virtually unbroken from just east of Houston all the way to the Carolinas and north to nearly Iowa. More than 80% or the US population is now living within an hour's drive of a major metro area which has left a good bit of the more remote areas of the country depopulated.

Wolves and coyotes would be your first be issues

Coyotes, their range has been on a long steady rise and it feels ominous, I have seen them in packs of 30-40 out here in AZ and they stretch all the way to NY

Very bright, I've seen them stake out dogs and send a single female down to lure the dog to where her friends are waiting for dinner.

They can climb trees, hop fences and plan actions very well.

Coyote populations would be massive in just a few years.

A rebounding of Wolves and then Bears wouldn't be far behind.

Then with lots of dead you have Rats, which may well be, the biggest threat because Rats can get in your home, there would in no time be, ridiculously large numbers fo Rats and you have to sleep at night.

First run though would be Insects, in just a few weeks, Mosquitoes, Roaches, and other pest carriers... Germs would be a huge threat

It would be pretty crazy

Bugs
Rats
Cats (no real threat)
Coyotes
Wolves/Bears
New Species Lions, Tigers (that get a fott hold)

In that order... your going to have to deal with Nature