Remember
this: No harm ever came from reading a book.
I
have been engrossed in a book called, “Hope for Animals and Their
World. How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued From the Brink”,
written by Jane Goodall with Thane Maynard and Gail Hudson.
I
do not like book reviews. The purpose of a book, such as this, is
meant to make the reader think, consider what is being conveyed, and
help the reader formulate a view point based on someone else's
endeavors; read, absorb, think, respond.
It
should be required reading, based on ease alone.
There
were several good questions put forth. A concept I would like to
approach is protectionists. This term was applied to a group against
intervening on the part of the California Condor, at a time when
extinction was critical. The protectionists wanted to offer more
protection in the wild but if this supplement didn't work, then the
animal was allowed to die as no more than a footnote, sight unseen,
in the wild; another name on a very long list of fallen species. I
don't think I have seen too many things die with dignity, not even
humans.
The
scientist for saving the California Condor had to sue to get
permission to remove wild condors from their habitat and
implement a breeding program for reintroduction.
Thank
the Cosmos, no one listened to the protectionists!
One
point I have become aware of in my readings and writings is the
existence of groups of people, outside of the citizen realm, that
makes decisions, such as these, in the stead of endangered and
abundant wildlife, on the part of everyone.
There
is the word protectionist, that in no means describes a person with
the mindset to save or protect, merely to let exist without human intrusion, even
to an untimely death. How can this be protecting a creature? I even
questioned protectionists being equated with conservation, because
that is not their agenda. The protectionist agenda seems to be
protect and conserve the area, allow no human intrusion upon the
wildlife from birth to death. Nothing is being conserved with this
agenda. Letting something merely exist does nothing about the
problems that will plague that system from the outside. It is not in
a bubble.
How
can someone professing to protect an animal on the brink of
extinction, by standing in the way, then try to
block efforts to propagate a species,morally and ethically, regardless of success or
failure? How can someone stand by and say, “I just let it die.”
This is a little different than having an animal before you, with a terminal cancer and absolutely no hope of treatment, or even surviving treatment.
Makes
you wonder how many endangered species died because of this
mentality. Yet, protectionists believe their stance is morally and
ethically correct.
These
do not sound like stewards of anything. To some degree, it sounds
like a mean way to come back on someone and say, “I told you so.
Now it is dead”, without any thought to intervention to block
attempts. It is a set-up for failure and retribution.
This
is as dumbfounding as people going into the woods to shoot Bigfoot
before anyone can see such a thing alive. After that, the Human Alien
will probe Bigfoot until the cows come home.
Not
to ruin your read, this book is full of one relevant example after
another on the people that intervened on the part of the animal, bug,
etc, to attempt efforts of captive breeding and restore endangered
creatures back to wild population status.
Once again, humans included in the ecosystems of life.
One
such example was of a falconer that intervened on the part of
peregrine falcons becoming diminished. Although, Goodall doesn't
agree with the conditions raptors are kept in and handled as hunting birds used for field sports in falconry,
she was very enthusiastic and compromising with the trade-off of intervention on the
part of the hunter. He loved his birds and wanted to see them
restored to previous glory. He accomplished that goal through hard work with the help
of may people, just as Goodall accomplished her goal of collecting
stories for her book.
There is a section on the Black-footed ferret. I was perusing my feeding stream and read an article update about the use of 20 year old frozen ferret sperm being used in current times to impregnate females to increase numbers.
A prime example of how a hunter and a non-hunting conservationist can work together, regardless of differing life views. It is the outcome that counts.
The
glue that ties this book together is recognition of problems, no
matter the cause, and action taken on the part of scientists and
regular people to become stewards of the natural world. The outcomes,
without promise of what the future holds, gives the read a sense
that it is possible to slowly turn the tides on a planet in trouble.
All one need do is be aware and acknowledge the predicament. Then plan
stratagems on solving the problem at hand.
If
you are a hunter or anyone thinking of, or involved in conservation efforts,
this should be on your reading list for sure.
It is a process to watch this ongoing saga of animal lives and the people who help them, hunting or not.
Written
by: Angelia Y Larrimore
