“The hope of the future lies not in curbing the influence of human occupancy – it is already too late for that – but in creating a better understanding of the extent of that influence and a new ethic for its governance.” ― Aldo Leopold, Game Management
There exists a harsh reality in America today. Ethics, morals, and decent standards that safeguard our animals, and especially wildlife, have become limited, almost gone.
Although these standards exist as law, these laws become mere façade, and replaced by a perspective of arrogance, ignorance, and outright hatred. And just as ironic, the fact that government employee’s, politicians, and much of the legal community take part in the debacle of abuse and hatred toward our animals in America, becomes also more elements of disgust and criminal in nature when attempts to cover up, or in reality excuse the atrocities committed against America’s animals and Wildlife. . .
Pick up any hunting magazine or read any hunting newsletter and the lies, misinformed patrons and editors, and the outright ignorance of what they all portray as science becomes obvious, not of science at all – certainly not conservationists, as they call themselves!
No debate here when one simply checks their references or completes even a simplistic research of the subject. Due to their demographics and sales, telling their audience what they want to hear has replaced good writing and good research alike. There is no reference toward good-science – since in reality it would contradict the magazine’s articles and content in total, and who knows where these magazine editor’s references, in reality, originated; certainly nether from appropriate data retrieval or sound science.
We have no further to look for the truth than our Public Lands. America’s Wild Horses and Wolves overwhelmingly represent this decline in ethics and overall abusive and murderous methods in today’s Stewardship of our Wildlife and Public Lands.
Make no doubt that more animals are also involved in this tragic realm of abuse. The killing of America’s animals by senseless methods and irresponsible conduct remain prevalent today. More disgusting, we have many hunters, and government employees’ alike, shooting animals from helicopters or planes, and some with automatic weapons. Afterward they make statements, incorrectly, that they were saving a natural habitat! Really? When researched we find not only their methods irresponsible, but their reasoning to be profound, not of legitimate data or conducted nor resolved from sound science.
In Reality the lies, innuendo, and misrepresentation that awkwardly provide the bravado to abuse and even kill our Wildlife in America, are merely a sham of ideologies unsupported by science or ethics; obvious to those who take the time to find the truth. So the examples provided here demonstrate beyond a doubt the overall, the catastrophe that is ongoing for all Wildlife in America as well as on an International basis.
Endangered Species Hunted for Trophies
We can take any period in time to demonstrate the arrogance/ignorance of the current trophy hunter’s in America. To even insinuate this situation, trophy hunts, to be of a natural circumstance, to perhaps even come close to making a natural habitat better, or required, or needed — and always developed out of misinformation, lies, and extremely bad science (i.e. if at all), remains and always has been an extreme realm of ignorant and blatant arrogance.
Going back to 1978, we discover (one of oh so many) a well-referenced application given to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for the importation of Wildlife on the Endangered Species List. These Wildlife – to be killed in fenced-in and what is termed Canned-Hunts, by supposed hunters (i.e. a term that most American’s find disgusting today, as many hunters of today are not hunters in the true definition of the term, rather boys-with-guns that shoot caged animals, then brag about their kill – some classify this as sociopathic behavior as well) who pay a lot of money to do so.
Reference: Notice by the Fish and Wildlife Service in the Federal Register, Vol 43(23) : 53121, December 12, 1978. The application List includes the following:
25 Argali Sheep, 10 Shapo Sheep, 50 Urial Sheep, 10 Elds Brow-antlered Deer, 10 Hog Deer, 10 Marsh Deer, 10 Pampas Deer, 10 Persian Fallow Deer, 10 Swamp Deer, 15 Clark’s Gazelles, 25 Dorcas Gazelles, 5 Rio de Oro Dama Gazelles, 5 Slinder-Horn Rhim Gazelles, 15 Swayne’s Hartebeests, 5 Pyrenees Ibex, 15 Black Faced Impalas, 150 Lechwes, 10 Saladangs, 100 Mountain Zebra’s, 20 Markhors, 10 Northern White Rhinoceros, 40 Bobcats (Endangered Mexican Subspecies), 20 Black Footed Cats, 10 Tiger Cats, 100 Cheetahs, 40 Jaguars, 20 Jaguarundis, 5 Clouded Leopards, 10 Snow Leopards, 40 Margays, 50 Ocelots, 25 Tigers, 15 Black Colobus Monkeys, 5 Red and Zanzibar Colobus Monkeys, 5 Gorillas, 5 Orangutans, 50 Slender Snouted Crocodiles.
After a very strong public outcry this application was withdrawn. Why? Because many of these species were on the ESA (Endangered Species List) and close to Extinct; whereas, it is also well noted that guided hunts, sponsored by the Safari Club did, indeed, take part in causing some of the Wildlife listed above to go extinct – for nothing other than becoming a trophy in someone’s den, overhanging their pool table, or in a bar or tavern! This continues today, and many American’s want it stopped!
These are animals, on the Extinct Species List, you, I, or people in the future will never see again. We simply have no idea if any of these animals in the wild were a significant addition, as the Wolf for example and reforestation fundamentals, or required to enhance a particular environment for a proper or needed function in nature.
Natural Habitats and Ecosystems
Our natural habitats, ecosystems, and overall environment are a mess, this is a reality. The sad truth remains, our present day environment within many areas, perhaps due to an Endangered Species now extinct! And for what, so an ignorant individual can brag about how he or she shot an animal within a caged environment, making up their own story as they sip from their beer or martini? Frankly, we will never know for sure!
Keep in mind this was 1978, and many more applications have been processed by SCI, among other organizations. The members of this organization have no remorse nether to their past recorded history of events and wiping out complete species, nor responsibility toward any Wildlife wanted or needed for the future. We must ask ourselves, within this nation of Laws, how our laws could support such irresponsible, and even disgusting, conduct.
Science and Ethics Nonexistent
Conclusively, and with the assistance of “Good Science” we can obtain our fundamental aspect of not only law but ethical treatment of America’s Wildlife. There exists a “Right” and a blatant “Wrong” here. Currently “Right” is being ignored, in its place is extreme psychotic behavior and irrelevant political agendas – and it is being allowed!
Politician’s and our governing Stewarts of America’s Public Lands and Wildlife is going to have to demand of their employees to acknowledge “Right” from “Wrong” and represent America in total, not just a small organization or group of hunters or corporations!
It is American’s who own America, not the hunters, not the corporations, and not government employees. American’s representatives should demand more, rather than accept abuse and the murderous behavior that exists today toward America’s animals and Wildlife! A little research and use of proper references, non-political agenda research, is needed now more than ever before! This means not leaving pertinent information of research data out of a supposed complete research report; not accepting shady science as a resolution toward roundups, such as PZP and its incomplete and incompetent historical rhetoric that has replaced good science data and goo research; and not to use any other drug oriented science with such inconsistent and misinformed data gathering and research.
Resolution to a problem is to remedy or fix not only the problem, but the issues as well. If our government agencies cannot conform to reasonable resolution, and at the same time not conform to law, not conform to good science, and not conform to integrity and ethics, then we should be re-evaluating the government agencies involved rather than use rhetoric and misinformation as an excuse toward resolution. . .
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Ziswiler, V. 1967. Extinct and Vanishing Animals: A Biology of Extinction and Survival, Springer Verlag, N.Y. Inc.
ICUN 1978 – 2010 Various Journals, Mammalia, Switzerland.
ANON. Save that Tiger, IUCN Bulletin, Vol. 10(5): 36-37 May
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1982. News Release. Leopard in southern Africa reclassified to threatened species. Jan. 29, 1982
ANON 1981. Lammergeiers & Taxidermy. ICUN Traffic Bulletin, Wildlife Trade Monitoring Unit, Vol. 3(3/4) 41. May/Aug.
i.e. 34 References upon request (authors choice)
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