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THE MEXICO CITY DUMP - AN ISLAND PARADISE OF DOGS
A fresh view of an old relationship.
24th April 2010
The Medieval Hall, Cathedral Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire
Written and presented by Professor Ray Coppinger.
I like watching dogs. I mostly like watching "islands" of dogs. The concept of “island†is to try to limit the area of study. On a real island a dog population will stop at the water’s edge. Within that well-defined area the dogs will find food, reproduce and try to stay out of trouble. How they do that is what I like to watch.
Now — picture a large city, Mexico City, perhaps the largest city in the world. Millions and millions of people are eating every day in this city, creating enormous waste. Those wastes are collected and delivered directly to the dogs in the dump. It is just like feeding pets but on a much bigger scale.
“All species of animals are limited by foodâ€, says Darwin. Finding enough food to keep body and soul together, reproduce and stay out of trouble is what natural selection is all about. But if Charlie had studied the dogs in the Mexico City dump he might not have come up with his theory.
For most dogs in the world their daily bread is reliable. The Mexico City dump dogs have a 24/7/365 reliable resource just like our better-cared-for pets. Life is so much better and more natural for the dump dogs. All the food you can eat and an interesting social life which is heavy into courtship, motherhood and puppies and all those other wonderful natural things that dogs like to do. In fact for a dog it is a bit of paradise. They are not neutered, and they are not on a leash.
THE MEXICO CITY DUMP - AN ISLAND PARADISE OF DOGS
A fresh view of an old relationship.
24th April 2010
The Medieval Hall, Cathedral Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire
Written and presented by Professor Ray Coppinger.
I like watching dogs. I mostly like watching "islands" of dogs. The concept of “island†is to try to limit the area of study. On a real island a dog population will stop at the water’s edge. Within that well-defined area the dogs will find food, reproduce and try to stay out of trouble. How they do that is what I like to watch.
Now — picture a large city, Mexico City, perhaps the largest city in the world. Millions and millions of people are eating every day in this city, creating enormous waste. Those wastes are collected and delivered directly to the dogs in the dump. It is just like feeding pets but on a much bigger scale.
“All species of animals are limited by foodâ€, says Darwin. Finding enough food to keep body and soul together, reproduce and stay out of trouble is what natural selection is all about. But if Charlie had studied the dogs in the Mexico City dump he might not have come up with his theory.
For most dogs in the world their daily bread is reliable. The Mexico City dump dogs have a 24/7/365 reliable resource just like our better-cared-for pets. Life is so much better and more natural for the dump dogs. All the food you can eat and an interesting social life which is heavy into courtship, motherhood and puppies and all those other wonderful natural things that dogs like to do. In fact for a dog it is a bit of paradise. They are not neutered, and they are not on a leash.
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