Reading about the expulsion of crocodiles from their waterways and beaches in Australia. As the human population expands these reptiles are being killed and relocated into captivity for amusement in theme parks. Other forms of utilisation and commercialisation are to skin them for the fashion industry or just eat them as meat. 'Protected' Australian wildlife is tagged a 'pest' and in the name of public safety removed.
Locals fish in tiny dinghies or other vessels in man-eating crocodile billabongs. There is an outcry for culling if there is a 'crocodile attack'. Teens hang out for croc trap selfies, idiots swim in front of baited croc traps.
As new settlers sprawl into the water rich north of the continent, this ancient living dinosaur has to disappear. Wherever urbanisation unpacks its baggage, all is 'bulldozed clean'. Part of the frontier package are their dogs, which they think of as tamed beasts. But angst lingers about the wild beasts on the margins of their settlements.
Sensationalist media engages us in the narrative of cleansing 'the monsters' from their habitat and winning lands. Images of hero-like dragon slayers conquer the beast so that princesses and fairies can populate the territory. The winning dragon conqueror poses with his foot on the dead creature, trampling it to stake a claim over the entire loot and all the territory.
This meme has been viral since ancient times, the middle ages and continues in contemporary mindsets. The ever-same narrative rationalises the plunder and land grabbing. Unrelenting population growth drives displacements, evictions, and eradications of all fauna and flora. This radical and rapid depletion of nature will leave the 'monster' man with only rodents and pathogens at the end game.
Images:
Böcklin, Arnold, Angelika, guarded by a dragon (Angelica and Ruggiero), c.1872 Collection of Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin
Update:
Family of seven piles into tinny to go fishing in croc infested waters at Kakadu, 10.2014
Here be dragon Climatic conditions are rapidly reaching an optimum for breeding dragons... 01.04.2015 http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/520042a.html
