Another protected species is getting out of control. From Officials Struggle With Reintroduction:
The river otter, that wily and playful critter adored by the public, is overrunning Ohio.Now, wildlife officials there are finding themselves in the same predicament as their counterparts in other states: killing a species once on the verge of vanishing.
In Florida and New Jersey, it’s the black bear. The Rockies and Alaska have the gray wolf. Nearly everywhere else, it’s the white-tailed deer and Canada goose.
Some stats:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that wildlife causes $1 billion in crop and livestock damage each year, while deer collisions injure about 29,000 motorists a year and cost another $1 billion. Bird collisions cost the aviation industry $740 million annually.