Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law

The author often provides her own reaction or opinion on various things she learns or is told. In your opinion, how do those interjections affect your reading or understanding of the topics? Cite examples from the text to support your answer.

As presented in this book, how do human behavior and instinct compare with the instincts and behaviors of animals discussed?

Do any of the conflicts in the book seem hopeless to you? Why or why not?

Explain how the public’s perception of a situation sometimes interferes with science-backed measures. Cites examples from the book.

How would you answer Mary Roach’s question about where we should draw the line when it comes to which species to protect and which to declare as pests to eliminate?

How does anthropomorphizing play a role in human-animal conflict? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Read about the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on the Environmental Protection Agency’s website. Where in this book are IPM practices in play? How could IPM have prevented some of the problems in New Zealand?

Read about the difference between the terms “invasive” and “non-native” on the website of the Department of Natural Resources. What are the different classifications for invasive species and the regulations around those classifications? With this understanding, how might you answer Roach’s question about determining the relative value of one life over another?