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Teens kill endangered birds, setting back conservation efforts 10 years
jacksonville.com ^ | 5 July 2017 | Brittany Lyte

Posted on 07/11/2017 11:48:51 AM PDT by DUMBGRUNT

That gruesome sight in December 2015 soon became a crime scene, one that eventually implicated six students and recent graduates of a prestigious Honolulu prep school whose alumni include former president Barack Obama. While on a camping trip the night before the hiker’s arrival, authorities alleged, the boys and young men had hiked to the Ka’ena Point Natural Area Reserve and mercilessly slaughtered at least 15 Laysan albatrosses, federally protected birds that have been the focus of a 26-year-long conservation effort. Nearly a dozen of their eggs were crushed; six other eggs failed to hatch due to the death of a parent.

With a magnificent seven-foot wingspan, the Laysan albatross is found mainly in the uninhabited northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

In Hawaii, the albatross killings were particularly shocking because they implicated privileged young men who allegedly committed the crime for the fun of it - and who should have known better. All are former classmates from Punahou School,

(Excerpt) Read more at jacksonville.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: albatross; albatrosses; animalabuse; birds; brats; eggs; hawaii; jerks; kaenapoint; laysanalbatross; mutilation; obama; punahouschool; seabirds; sick; souvenirs; vandalism; wildlife
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Sad.
1 posted on 07/11/2017 11:48:52 AM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
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To: DUMBGRUNT

If this ruins their reputations the irony will be rich.


2 posted on 07/11/2017 11:50:44 AM PDT by AndyTheBear
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Billy Bob’s endangered species extermination service motto: You can’t protect what doesn’t exist.


3 posted on 07/11/2017 11:50:50 AM PDT by robroys woman
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To: DUMBGRUNT

In a few years, these young thugs can become Community Organizers. Why, they can even aspire to become president one day.


4 posted on 07/11/2017 11:54:49 AM PDT by Salvey
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To: DUMBGRUNT

I went to school with a number of Punaho grads. They all thought they were elite special. All @holes.


5 posted on 07/11/2017 11:55:26 AM PDT by Oldexpat
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To: DUMBGRUNT
What flavor is it?

Its a bloody sea bird it doesn't have a bloody flavor!

6 posted on 07/11/2017 11:55:34 AM PDT by 4yearlurker (Government can make you feel so small and mean.-John Steinbeck)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Yeah, everyone’s sad about the endangered birds and there will be cries for more government clam downs. Meanwhile unborn babies are being slaughtered by the bushel and nary a peep can be heard.


7 posted on 07/11/2017 11:55:37 AM PDT by Jim W N
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To: DUMBGRUNT
I will not suggest that the school was the principal reason that Obama turned out to be the hate-filled evil sociopathic demagogue, we all have experienced over the past decade; but these vicious young punks seem almost cut from the same clothe.

It is way beyond sad. One may hope that these sadistic punks have a similar future "reward" as that of the subject of the Coleridge Poem!

8 posted on 07/11/2017 11:58:09 AM PDT by Ohioan
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Toss ‘em in a volcano.. what a dumb barbaric act. Senseless.


9 posted on 07/11/2017 12:04:31 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi - Monthly Donors Rock!!!)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

I believe that Killing an Albatross is extreme bad luck....
Duck, here comes karma!


10 posted on 07/11/2017 12:07:15 PM PDT by moose07 (DMCS (Dit Me Cong San ) Forward to the glorious world of next Tuesday !)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

The Choom Gang returns.


11 posted on 07/11/2017 12:07:23 PM PDT by DJ Taylor (Once again our country is at war, and once again the Democrats have sided with our enemy.)
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To: NormsRevenge

Jail them. Fine their parents. Then toss them into a volcano.


12 posted on 07/11/2017 12:10:27 PM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola.")
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To: AndyTheBear

Sowing misery and destruction, just because, like BHO?


13 posted on 07/11/2017 12:12:32 PM PDT by Calvin Locke
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To: DUMBGRUNT

I abhor what they did, but I value truth even more. As I understand it, Laysan albatrosses are not endangered. They are listed as “Vulnerable” or “Near Threatened”, perhaps because of their limited breeding area. There are actually 2.5 million in existence. Trends are important, and some studies indicate a downward trend in numbers, whereas others indicate otherwise. It isn’t quite like they killed the last few Dodo birds. It in no way excuses their actions, but it makes it more difficult for the general public to be sympathetic to real dangers to species when less than real dangers are overly sensationalized.


14 posted on 07/11/2017 12:13:39 PM PDT by Engraved-on-His-hands
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To: DUMBGRUNT
"...the students - who were accused of severing the birds’ feet to collect their I.D. bands as souvenirs and posting photos of the mutilated birds on social media..."

Nice little sociopaths in training. Zero empathy.

15 posted on 07/11/2017 12:17:15 PM PDT by Flick Lives (#CNNblackmail)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

These little animals will likely move on to abuse and killing of people, particularly because there appears to be no meaningful punishment and corrective action.


16 posted on 07/11/2017 12:19:21 PM PDT by Truth29
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To: moose07

Yes, I believe a just sentence would be to put them out to sea in a small boat and see what creatures come along to guide them to safety.


17 posted on 07/11/2017 12:28:30 PM PDT by VietVet876
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Their parents were obviously republicans and hate the environment.


18 posted on 07/11/2017 12:31:49 PM PDT by shotgun
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Besides macadamia nuts and a few pineapples; what good has ever come from Hawaii?

I was stationed on Oahu for two years and hated it after 6 months. Got what they call “rock fever” because all you could do is go in circles around the island like a trapped animal.

Yes, the beaches are nice and the ocean water is nicely clear so you can see all the colorful sea life, but that isn’t something that leaves the island other than in pictures or videos. Sunning on the beach is not something light complected people do anyway.

I actually felt sorry for people who save their money all their lives to make a 2 week trip to the islands. Especially those who got sunburned on the first day and had to spend the next 5 on their belly or back. This was almost 40 years ago and the civilian population had to work 2 or 3 jobs just to afford the rent and food; then there was always the fear of the roaming “Hawaiians” looking to beat up some white guy; sometimes even a white girl. They loved to beat up military guys especially.

Needless to say; what few fond memories I have of Oahu are offset by all the ugliness there. No wonder we drank so much... The local population wanted nothing to do with the military stationed there so dating locals was pretty much out of the question. We might as well have been stationed on some deserted island. Thanks but no thanks; Hawaii can kiss my butt.


19 posted on 07/11/2017 12:33:03 PM PDT by Boomer ("Based on the impotent shrieking of the Never Trump bedwetters"....)
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To: Engraved-on-His-hands

Very good post. That said, one should not kill wantonly.


20 posted on 07/11/2017 12:39:32 PM PDT by Hieronymus (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. --G. K. Chesterton)
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