Abstrakt
This presentation explores the nature of liminal animals and their status in present societies. Contemporary scholar contributions to animal-human connectivity of liminal animals are being presented to provide understanding how humans have affected and been affected by liminal animals.
Liminal animals are wild and domestic species who live on anthropogenic food sources and share their living spaces with humans. These animals have changed their natural behaviour and have adapted to live near human habitat.
This provides them with several benefits, but also puts them at high risk as well. Several usually wild animals such as foxes, racoons, badgers, monkeys, opossums, pigeons, rats etc. can be liminal, but the most significant liminal animals are stray cats and dogs.
Nature of these previously domesticated species, which are now stray, have changed several times. These animals also affect human emotions and attitudes the most.
A short overview of liminal animals that can be encountered near cities is beneficial to understanding this multi-species interconnectivity issue. Although liminal animals had been part of life for centuries, it was not until the mid-nineteenth century that serious efforts were made to relief the suffering of homeless animals.
A brief historical overview of liminal animals during modern history will enable us to reflect contemporary situation of feral, stray, or pest animals.