O.k., so an extremely naughty group of extraterrestrials manage to teleport all animals off of Earth save those we have caught or domesticated to be household pets. That leaves us Dogs, Cats, mice, rats, aquarium sized fish, snails and crustaceans, several species of small birds, parrots (no fowl though), chinchillas, guinea pigs, turtles, ferrets, iguanas, some species of snakes and the cuter species of frogs. No potbellied pigs though. No pigmy animals either.
Intergalactic police are on the case, but they say it's going to be a few generations of our lifespan before they catch the evildoers.
the question is, How do you think we'll fare? The earth still retains all of its arachnids, insects, and invertebrates. Any wild or feral animals/fish that match the species kept in cages/aquariums still remain in the wild/seas. the earth has roughly three hundred years until all the other animals are returned.
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Well, dogs, cats, rats, doves, quail, snakes, and frogs are all edible. As are some aquarium fish. We may have to go back to eating crickets grasshoppers and grubs too. Americans and westerners would be a grumpy lot, but the rest of the planet would make do i think.
Some weird things would happen to the seas, I think. Without larger predators, the plankton populations explode, providing enormous amounts of food for the offspring of remaining sea creatures, not just the aquarium fish, but all manner of mollusks, including squids, clams, and octopuses. Without the predators that usually prey on the vast number of baby mollusks born, their populations explode in turn, providing a broad and sustainable food source for humanity.
Or so one would think. With a far broader genetic base, mutations among the populations are more common, and more supportable, and the Octopus quickly takes to the land. Their terrestrial development is slow at first, but once they discover fire, their technology progresses rapidly. Their eight appendages mean their technology develops four times as fast as human technological progression, and as they become smart enough to steal ideas from us, they quickly surpass humans as the dominant life form on this world. Their jar cities spring up across the countryside, and the smoke from their factories darkens the skies, which are filled with flying Octopus cars.
Within a relatively short amount of time, the Octopus masters interstellar space flight, and leaves our solar system for new worlds to explore and inhabit. Humanity is left behind, blinking. We quickly return to our spaghetti con vongole.
This is a weird and very specific question. Weird parameters!
While it's obvious that the Octopus would inherit within a couple of weeks, an alternate theory is that we would all not survive a generation. These dudes would be disturbing the eco system in a very large and very rapid way. The chain reaction could go anywhich way, invariably effecting us in the end.
Hrmm you know, I didn't take octopi into account, but they are definitely aquarium worthy. Cuttlefish too. I was really thinking on the lines of personal aquariums, not aquariums that one might take their kids to.
That does include seawater aquariums though.
It is fair to predict that the small amount of animals couldn't keep up with the explosions of non predated life. That was something I would fear on a terrestrial level in regards to insects. I don't think the remaining animals could keep up very well with the insect boom, and I think humans would have to make some freaky choices really really fast.
Whee!
Question needs refining.
Species in zoos/aquariums are still in the wild/sea? So what was actually taken? Just the largest whales and sharks that aren't in the aquariums? A diverse variety of animals are to be found in zoos/aquariums. There is probably enough biodiversity in zoos/aquariums that those animals taken might not be missed. Lots of apex preditors of the land variety are kept in zoos. Some apex preditors of the sea variety can be found in aquariums.
So only domesticated animals are gone? What about their feral/wild counterparts. Wild boars still here? Wild yaks, bison, goats, jungle fowl, geese, hares, ducks? All yummy.
Dogs - yummy. Cats not so much, but edible. Chinchillas and guinea pigs - very lean but tasty. Snakes and frogs - delish, like tender delicate velvety chicken. Crocs and gators - like tough dry chicken. Sparrows - a delicacy. Door mice - an ancient Roman snack. Snails and crustaceans - a little yak butter, garlic, and white wine - spectacular.
If too much of the biodiversity were taken, then the ecosystem would collapse and it would just be the roaches. Until they starved. Roaches - not tasty. Ants and crickets - pretty good dipped in chocolate, nutty.
Middle Kingdomites eat everything in the air, sea, and land - everything with 4 legs except the tables and chairs. Cave swallow saliva is a delicacy.
No zoo animals. No big style aquarium animals. Bunnies yes, hares no. Think animals commonly found in houses. That's what remains on earth for say, 300 years.
Do we take a nosedive, or do we pull through? How does it go down?
So, you're saying our first contact with extra-terrestrials is with a bunch of idiots?
We'll be fine. Maybe a third of the human population will survive, so we'll be good once we learn how to procreate with the octopuses.
Yeah... lets hear more about these crazy drugged up aliens. Epicurious.com already has dozens of ways to cook up Lassie, so we're good.
The world would get boring very quickly. And a little depressing I think. But at least we would get rid of the whale activists because there would be no more whales to fight for.
I would eat the whale activists. Starting with her.
Wait a minute, what are you getting at here, Galspanic?
What do you mean what am I getting at? I was just curious as to how everyone thinks we'd fare having to rely on our pets as a source of nutrition for 300 years. I was sort of curious if anyone would suggest that the world's population switch to vegetarianism, but I threw in the pets for a little extra spice.
I guess deep down I was maybe curious what it would take to make everyone turn vegetarian. I was wondering what percentage of people would resist eating their "best friends", and take up the soy bean.
There was also the possibility that some might resort to cannibalism before eating their pets.
Are those extra terrestrials idiots, or just mean? Maybe they are activists. Perhaps the interstellar police will do us a solid and let us eat the extraterrestrial animal thieves as punishment.
I think that somehow the people of Earth would find a way to genetically re-create chickens and cows real fast. We have to have chickens and cows or the population at large would freak out even more. Granted some people would miss the wild life, but the average man will just miss Whoppers.... and maybe hunting.
Uhm...beating a dead horse here, but my next door neighbor used to have a little octopus in his saltwater aquarium. I think it commited suicide.
Mmmm...Hayden. Ya know, Pony, for some reason you're the only person I have to think about whether you meant the actual "eating" vs. the...ah...'proverbial' usage of the word "eating".
I think it's pretty cool that none of us even mentioned going vegetarian. I'm proud of all of you.
Hmmm... the thought that we might have to start eating kittens and puppies didn't occur to me... I just thought it would be horribly sad to lose all that wildlife. Though we are rapidly killing off our wildlife even without extraterrestrial help.
I love the Hayden link.
I would like to ask her if she's ever eaten beef, and then ask her what it was like to eat Teddy Bears from the ranch.
Welcome, Vance!
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