Habitat fragmentation, kettling and ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Gaza

As new satellite data emerges suggesting West African Lions are heading for extinction due to habitat fragmentation. Political commentators are drawing parallels to the form of genocide underway in Gaza, suggesting a cunning application of island biogeography theory.
 
“Essentially in Africa we have ‘island’ pockets of savanna, suitable for Lion habitation, surrounded by unsuitable areas, which have become populated by humans. The theory shows how larger ‘islands’ can support more species and that their proximity to one another influences the rate of immigration and emigration and hence the overall population,” said Dr Pretorius, the researcher from the Institute for African Lion and Liger Studies (IALLS).

"This whole 'nature reserve' thing isn't so bad...certainly beats the Zoo."

In Africa, the fragmentation of Lion habitat is increasing the risk of local extinctions, especially in western areas where fewer than 500 remain due to the rapid increase in human settlements, which kettle the lions into smaller isolated populations. Kettled lions generally get angry, start eating things they shouldn’t and clawing people’s faces off: the consequence is bad press for Disney’s untarnished fluffy Lion King image and they all get shot.
 
Dr Pretorius added: “whilst kettling generally refers to a non-lethal police tactic used during riots; such as in 2011 when the British were been hit around the face with police batons for straying into a raging mob on their way to TK Max, the process of being kettled to death is obviously much more serious for our lions. Ways need to be found to protect and connect areas of habitat to stop those darned village folk shooting them.”
 
Prominent political commentators have been quick to draw parallels from this latest research to the situation in Gaza where Israel: the ‘big daddy’ of kettling, is continuing its onslaught on the Palestinian people in complete disregard to international law, fragmenting Palestinian towns with walls, checkpoints and illegal settlements, in what enviro-political activists are calling a “brutal application of island biogeography theory.”
 
A leading enviro-political figure who wished to remain anonymous said: “with a military funded by the US to the tune of several billion dollars a year, the Israeli government does as it pleases, and it just so happens that removing the Palestinian thorn is pretty high on the state’s list of things to do, narrowly beating putting their arsenal of shiny US military equipment to some real use in Iran.”
 
An IALLS spokesperson said that whilst they cannot side on political matters, “with Israel’s nuclear and military might, those lions are going to need some bigger rockets; perhaps they should approach the UN for some military aid.”

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