Thanks Laurie
I heard it on Sunday and I was rather surprised at some of Sue's remarks
about captive breeding programmes, alternative mehods for conservation
(specifically control of predators), and the issue of identifying a taxon as
a full species.
They seemed fine for an opinion - even provocative - piece but I could not
understand how they fitted into a science slot or, indeed, what she was
intending to say.
Sue (if you read this - I couldn't readily find your email address), I was
really puzzled that you seemed to be saying that you personally loved seeing
Black Stilts in the wild, but then you weren't sure they were "real" wild
birds (because so many are from the captive breeding programme, given the
effects of predators) and anyhow they could just be a sub-species (with some
taxonomists possibly maintaining its status as a full species for
'political' reasons), and so you personally have the opinion - implied,
though you didn't want to say it - that you want to question whether it is
really worth all this effort to keep the "species" surviving. And the
"Helmeted Moneyeater" is a very similar case (with it being a misjudgement
for it to be adopted as Victoria's state avian emblem).
This goes to the sorts of issues that Penny Olsen (congrats on the honour)
raised in her thoughtful piece in Wingspan about "triage" for species. As I
remember it, the response was partly about "flagship" species and that they
serve as vital reminders to the general public of all sorts of environmental
degredation and their effects on a far wider range of species.
So it's about values and politics. Should "we" throw in the towel on the
Black Stilt, the Helmeted Honeyeater, the OBP?
You seemed to say "yes".
In my view that is "yes" to these species, and, rationally, therefore "yes"
to the next in line in their habitats. That tern - and the amazing
Wrybill - that also nest in the braided rivers of NZ? ....
I say "no". "We" need these habitats, we need the public on-side for
conservation, we need to build the constituency (not deflate it with
failures), we absolutely need not to give politicians an excuse for cutting
conservation budgets "because there is no point". Only a really
sympathetic, thoughtful and confident Minister would say "OK - drop that
species but I am going to fight successfully to retain the budget savings
for more widespread gains for conservation AND get more resources."
Long live the Northern Hairy Wombat, the Corroboree Frog, the Black-eared
Miner......
Michael Norris
Melbourne
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