Threat assessment

One problem of dealing with wildlife is that people generally overestimate or underestimate the threat from a wild animal. Take the hornbill.

That salvation lets their wings unfold

I have people making bold statements that such a bird would be a herbivore because it would not evolve an ungainly beak if it was a meat eater. The beak does not resemble that of a raptor or a kingfisher. the bird also does not resemble a vicious carnivore.  

The hornbill is an omnivore. I have taken pictures of it with a lizard in its beak (Or at least something lizard-like with four limbs and a tail as the hornbill did not share that meal with me). I also witness it raiding another bird's nest. Again I have no evidence of the intent of the hornbill as the intended victim decided that taking a crash course on flying was preferable to becoming a meal. Yup, the bird on the tarmac is the crash course flyer. I suspect it is a Yellow-vented Bulbul but I did not want to worsen its plight by gawking at it after what it has gone through. 

Even though you are not sure till the moment arrived ... 

That is why we have stories of people attacked by bears in the wild while trying to cuddle, pet or take a close up picture. The perpetrator looks harmless until its animal instincts kick in and suddenly we have volunteers taking themselves out of the gene pool.

The other problem is that some people have irrational fears of apex predators or poisonous animals. Apex predators are seldom mass murders that movies make them out to be. I empathise with the human victims of apex predators but I also recognise the fact that humans are seldom the favourite food of most apex predators. The apex predators do not regard humans as a primary food source and in most cases prefer taking our livestock instead of the owners. 

I can understand about irrational fear. When I was young, I believe that most jellyfish are dangerous as they could sting. So whenever I saw a jellyfish at the beach, I would take a stick to remove it out of the water (Better a "brainless" creature dies than an intelligent or at least a pain sensitive creature suffers.). I was quite innocent as most of my information of jellyfish came from books. Then I watch documentaries about the Irukandji jellyfish (Actually it was more about what its victims suffered). Today you could not persuade me to go near a jellyfish in the wild. Even though I know how the Irukandji jellyfish looks like (Eg. small and translucent) and where it stays(Nowhere near me). And I am fine with eating them 😋 or picking them up in the market.   

Update in 2020:
And just when I would have said it was safe to go into the waters near me, apparently it is not!
First thing to remember about Jellyfish sting is that don't let anyone suggest peeing on the sting. Seawater or vinegar with warm water helps.  

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