Maine looks different today than it did before Europeans arrived. Its wildlife has changed, with some species suffering heavily from hunting and habitat loss. In recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, let’s explore these changes.

A few changes happened naturally, but most resulted from cultural differences between immigrants who began arriving 600 years ago and Native Americans, who have lived here for millennia.

Native peoples coexisted with nature. European settlers saw things differently: nature was to be subdued and bent to the will of those who could profit from it. Wildlife existed to be harvested by humans, and woe to any predator that competed with that harvest.

Overharvesting of game species and the elimination of predators were inevitable, almost expected — a classic example

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