Question

The forested mountains of upstate New York are filled with sugar maples, oaks, and yellow birch trees. They are also home to predators like bobcats. These animals live alone and wander over large areas to search for food and to breed with other bobcats. Recently, a dairy farmer who lives in the area and who supplies large amounts of milk to stores decided to build a fence around his farm in order to prevent his grazing cows from wandering off. The farmer is happy with these changes because it allows him to increase his milk production.

Will these changes around the farm affect the bobcat population? (Yes or No) (EXPLAIN) your answer.

Answer 1

Answer: His decision to add a fence to prevent his cows from straying will result in a long-term decline in the bobcat population. Most likely, the cows are being preyed upon by the bobcats when they stray and are fed in return. Because the cows are unable to cross a particular limit when the farmer constructs a fence, bobcats have less opportunity to hunt the cows.

Step-by-step explanation: