Not to get too far off track, but some people's point is that animal management is needed because humans interfered in the animal ecosystem. The question, which I alluded to before, is simply the balance of benefit for man vs harm to the ecosystem. Wipe out every animal threat to best sustain farm and grazing land, even the food on the table, don't touch it all and let the cattle, alfalfa, and soybean crops suffer, something in between, or...? No right or wrong answer, just opinions. I started the post to find out just what kind of harm the varmints cause. I have gotten good answers, but not unexpectedly, there are plenty of other people claiming harm to livestock, crops, etc., is way overblown. There will never be agreement between those sides. But, I do understand, from the posts here, just what kind of harm these animals can do. I live in an urban development, in a large development that backs to open space. A resident lost a puppy to a coyote and a half eaten dead cat was found in a front yard, apparently due to a coyote. People with house cats they leave outside, have lost them as well.
Phil