Cobra Effect

 

Mike Morgan

23.5" x 15.5"

salvaged painting and paper collage

 

* snakes and rats sold separately

$35.00*

THE COBRA EFFECT: The British government was concerned about the number of venomous cobras in Delhi, India. The government therefore offered bounty for every dead cobra. Initially this was a successful strategy as large numbers of snakes were killed for the reward. Eventually, however, enterprising people began to breed cobras for the income. When the government became aware of this, the program was scrapped, causing the cobra breeders to set the now-worthless snakes free. As a result, the wild cobra population further increased. The apparent solution for the problem made the situation even worse.

 

THE RAT EFFECT: A similar incident occurred in Hanoi, Vietnam, under French colonial rule. The colonial regime created a bounty program that paid a reward for each rat killed. To obtain the bounty, people would provide the severed rat tail. Colonial officials, however, began noticing rats in Hanoi with no tails. The Vietnamese rat catchers would capture rats, lop off their tails and then release them back into the sewers so they could procreate and produce more rats, thereby increasing the rat catcher's revenue.

* Price does not include taxes or shipping and handling. To find out more about any of the artwork in the gallery or to purchase artwork, please contact online gallery director John Morgan, 360.864.2789 or sales@artgallery505.com

Gallery 505 is located at 205 Cowlitz Street in downtown Toledo, Washington, 98591.

Contact us at (360) 864-2789 or by e-mail at sales@artgallery505.com.

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