Fairly simple question, if the Borg were to say assimilate the Earth would the wildlife be in some way assimilated too or would it simply be exterminated? Are there any instances of this happening?
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1Related, possibly a dupe; If the Borg assimilate a planet of idiots, does the Collective become dumber?– ValorumCommented Jan 29, 2017 at 16:05
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I saw that, while an animal would have no "technological distinctiveness" to add there's still the possibility of there being worthwhile physical properties.– IG_42Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 17:38
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4The Borg wouldn't even assimilate the Kazon, so it seems unlikely that they'd be interested in assimilating non-sentient creatures.– Ham SandwichCommented Jan 29, 2017 at 18:43
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7This question spawned a humorous scene in my mind where a guy with a shotgun is in the woods hunting for deer... he see the deer, but as he lifts up his gun to aim, the deer raises its head from foraging and turns to face him, revealing a laser implant which paints a bright red dot right on the hunter's forehead...– user11521Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 21:12
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2I appear to have been duped. scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/39898/…– IG_42Commented Jan 30, 2017 at 1:19
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1 Answer
Main Canon
Within the main canon there are no examples of the Borg successfully assimilating anything other than sentient, bipedal, humanoid creatures.
That being said, there's no reason to assume they couldn't assimilate them, if the mood took them and they saw a benefit in doing so. Otherwise they'd just ignore them or kill them if they presented a threat.
Extended Universe (EU)
Within the novel The Return (written by none other than William Shatner) Picard encounters some assimilated dogs.
Two dogs—sleek Dobermans, pets of the personnel who had been assigned here, no doubt, trotted past. But they did not stop to investigate. Bioneuronic implants studded their skulls. Biomechanical tubes were grafted to their chests.
One dog turned to look at Picard as it passed. One eye clear though expressionless, so unlike the breed. The other eye had been replaced by a laser sensor.
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1It frankly seems ridiculous that the Borg would assimilate dogs. Commented Jan 29, 2017 at 23:55
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3Assimilated dogs.... y'know, mechanical zombies are two for two and don't really scare me that much (although First Contact was a tour de force of subtle horror) but show me an assimilated dog and I swear to god I will cry for my mother Commented Jan 30, 2017 at 0:44
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1They might not have been full members of the Collective, just controlled soldiers. Otherwise all it would take is a few squirrels to distract the Collective long enough to defeat them. Commented Jan 30, 2017 at 2:56
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6One day, the Borg assimilated a cat, and then they started sleeping 20 hours a day and chasing their own laser eye bling thingies. Commented Jan 30, 2017 at 3:47
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1@ench - It is far from the worst Star Trek EU novel. Very far indeed.– ValorumCommented Jan 30, 2017 at 16:00