A BRIEF BREAK FROM WAR, POLITICS, SCANDALS

...to the wonderful world of animals. Even though these are predators, they are "honest" predators, simply obeying the law of nature in procuring food; there is no evil in them, unlike the various types of human predators that plague us.
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This 23 foot alligator was killed near Athens, Texas. The officer walking behind it is reported to be 6' 5" tall. The local populous was alarmed at the creature strolling about human habitats. Normally, such animals are captured and released in the wild. However, this one proved uncapturable and had to be killed. A pity, but we can understand the necessity of protecting human children, adults and pets from this enormous predator. As you can see, this animal was capable of taking down the adult human behind it. As was this one:
A news helicopter flying over Lake Conroe spotted this 'gator swimming off to lunch on a full grown deer. Lake Conroe is in Houston's back yard and is the site for water recreation: swimming, boating, fishing, water skiing, etc. Do not have stats on 'gator's size, but the fact it took down a full grown deer gives an idea.
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Texas has enormous alligators; Florida has 'gators AND pythons!

Florida's Python Problem
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/story?id=2072458&page=1

Note to the public: Do NOT release exotic, non-native animals into the wild. That includes fishes, snails, scorpions, spiders, and hissing cockroaches, all of which have caused ecological damage in the U.S. Many native species have been decimated due to non-native creatures introduced into their environment. In the case of predatory snakes, alligators, and crocodiles, they grow quite large , invade human areas, eat pets and present a danger to people as well as the prey victims in the wild. How would you like to find in your pool or patio someone's former reptilian pet now grown in excess of 20' and outweighing you? The animals do not know that humans and pets are not on the approved menu; to them, it's just lunch, tasty morsels.