Brother From Another M…mutant?

[PANTHER TRACKERS]

Masatoshi Nei is a Japanese born American evolutionary biologist accredited with numerous scientific publications including; the statistical theories of molecular evolution and the theory of mutation-driven evolution.

A Professor at the Temple University, former Director of the Institute of Molecular Evolutionary Genetics, and accomplished author.

His 2013 manuscript, Mutation-Driven Evolution, conclusively outlines how Darwin’s theory of natural selection was not proven as fact –

“Darwin never presented evidence that natural selection is really the factor of evolution” Masatoshi Nei (taken from an interview conducted by Charles Carlini April 12, 2014). In his book, Nei contests that mutation, not natural selection, drives evolution. Experimentation of variables along an ongoing process – discard what does not work and adopt the successes.

Cut and paste this into the realm of the predator and we can better understand the complex variety of hunting tactics on display in the natural world. Why do some snakes constrict their prey while others have developed intricate venoms? Now, note how the possession of these various tools determine the corresponding hunting strategy, or vice versa.

This example can be overlaid on all predators, for instance a Peregrine falcon can reach speeds exceeding 300km/h in a vertical dive whereas the Lanner falcon hunts on a horizontal plane. Physically both very similar. Taxonomically only diverging at the Species level. Yet their predation strategies and accompanying traits are notably different.

Very nice, now get to the point…

Well, diversity is inevitable, it is present in all of God’s design.

My take is that the human predator is successful because we can combine every strategy, in all environments, disabling all obstacles.

We can mimic the patient Adder and ambush a thirsty Warthog on a game trail leading to water…

Copy the athletic Wild dog and chase a Kudu in the middle of the day causing it extreme heat fatigue…

Duplicate the Orb spider and lure a cunning Coyote into a baited foothold trap…

Parallel the pack hunting Dolphin and cooperatively drive a secretive Wild boar to the waiting guns…

The examples are endless, as are the displays of our appreciation of animal hunting prowess. In art, literature, music and storytelling we eternalise our admiration for the Bears strength, the Lions courage…the Wolfs endurance.

When I was a 20 something-year-old man I discovered hounds, this single event changed the course of my life and who I was to become.

While my friends and peers were stalking up steep hills to vantage a view of distant Kudu flashing sunrise reflections off their curling horns, I was fighting through invasive lantana thickets, burning lungs and muscle fatigue in the single purposed drive to reach the point where I last heard my determined hounds in full Bushpig pursuit.

They took me to places I ordinarily would never have entered, countless times, over many, many kilometres. They forged in me durable characteristics that I so greatly value, I am duty-bound to pass them to our 3 children.

In 2004 I completed my Professional hunter’s license. In South Africa it is a 2-week course that educates the student on game laws, best practise and industry knowledge. One of the memorable subjects was ethics. Yes, we were taught ethics. Actually, indoctrinated.

At that time hunting with dogs was disregarded in mainstream South Africa. Determined by the lawmakers to be an unethical method of pursuit. So, no blame directed at the competent assessors or criticism for my familiar colleagues, but they were ignorant to the committed lifestyle a dedicated hound hunter leads. Non the less my demanding hunting style was outlawed.

Still, my resolute contention was that the ordinances were complex and contradicting. For instance, directing trained Gundogs to point and flush cryptic gamebirds was decided a legal pursuit yet directing trained hounds to flush and bay cryptic Bushpig was not.

Another, shooting a Leopard lured to feed on a secured bait in a tree was a legal and industry accepted practise, yet shooting a Leopard pressured to tree by a canine team was not.

Contradictorily, it was unethical to shoot an antelope drinking water from a man-made pan but legal and acceptable to use a canine team to recover a wounded animal.

Many adventurous years have passed since then, close on a couple decades, filled with experiences that have cultivated a global perspective.

I’ve made the acquaintance of long-distance marksmen, deer stalkers, bow hunters, spear hunters, fur trappers, bear hunters, wing shooters, native gatherers, fox hunters, pig hunters…man! the list of personal description is almost endless.

Collectively, we now face a threatening mass of public opinion that hunting, particularly trophy hunting, is morally unethical and should be made illegal.

In response the hunting community has actioned a decisive rebuttal.

The time for division is gone.

Swimming against the current has often placed me outside the campfire circle, but never changed my mind.

Ethics are personal. Find yours and be comfortable with them.

Generously consider others and respect their individuality remembering that We are all just modern mutations of the original design.