Posted on 10/17/2003 4:29:23 PM PDT by YoungKentuckyConservative
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Defenders of Wildlife, the Species Survival Network, and nearly two dozen other organizations today called for a halt to White House plans to allow the importation of hides, hunting trophies, and live specimens of endangered animals. In official comment on the proposal, Defenders charged that this approach could lead to the extinction of any of more than 500 species around the world.
"This Bush policy is truly Orwellian, encouraging killing endangered animals in order to save them," said Carroll Muffett, director of international programs for Defenders of Wildlife. "Turning these species into commodities will only increase the slaughter and encourage illegal trade and poaching."
The USFWS proposal allows imports of animal parts or live specimens of endangered animals into the United States, so long as the importer says that some portion of the purchase price went into conservation efforts in the country of origin. In theory, this would give an economic incentive to protection of these species, but the proposal contains no provisions that would allow the FWS to verify these claims.
Muffett said the proposal is "shockingly silent on even rudimentary standards" to ensure that any of the money actually went to conservation, and noted that the proposal would invite fraud and even liquidation of endangered animals by developing nations desperate for hard currency.
"Sustainable use" programs like the one proposed by the Bush Administration have proven largely unsuccessful at achieving real conservation, and frequently have the opposite effect. Resumption of a legal ivory trade in southern Africa, for example, appears to have led to increased elephant poaching not only in the exporting states, but elsewhere in Africa and Asia. In Kenya, this resurgence was accompanied by increased slayings of Maasai peoples in encounters with heavily armed poachers.
"Behind every dubious example of 'sustainable use' - endangered crocodile skins from Mexico, rare hunting trophies, elephants for circuses - you'll find a well-heeled industry with an armada of lobbyists," Muffett said. "Once again, the Bush Administration is letting industry write its own rules."
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Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and habitat, and was named as one of America's Top 100 Charities by Worth magazine. With more than 430,000 members and supporters, Defenders is an effective voice for wildlife and habitat. To learn more about Defenders of Wildlife, please visit http://www.defenders.org.
However, I don't know much about this issue or this group, so I don't really have anything to say. For all I know, this could be a legitimate concern?!?
Help Freepers! You've always come through with fantastic insight and information in the past. I'm sure this time will be no different.
Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities. We focus our programs on what scientists consider two of the most serious environmental threats to the planet: the accelerating rate of extinction of species and the associated loss of biological diversity, and habitat alteration and destruction. Long known for our leadership on endangered species issues, Defenders of Wildlife also advocates new approaches to wildlife conservation that will help keep species from becoming endangered. Our programs encourage protection of entire ecosystems and interconnected habitats while protecting predators that serve as indicator species for ecosystem health.
Defenders of Wildlife
Address: 1101 14th Street, NW #1400
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone: 202-682-9400
Fax 202-682-1331
Email: corasin@defenders.org
Website: www.defenders.org
Status: 501(c)(3)
Began as anti-ranching group opposed to predator control, developed into grant-driven operation headed by wealthy urbanites and well-positioned academics generally opposed to rural development. Has long record of questionable practices such as the 1994 case of pretending friendliness to property owners in Louisiana's Black Bear Conservation Committee, while quietly filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service demanding that the black bear be listed as an endangered species, then threatening to sue again because the Service had not designated "critical habitat" for the bear, all of which threatened the private property owners who believed Defenders of Wildlife was helping them. The group's membership is unaware of this and many similar deceptions.
This is just their unsupported propaganda. Kenya, as far as I know, has no sustainable program. Where sustainable programs have been tried, they have been wildly sucsessfull.
It only makes sense. Give people an economic incentive to protect habitat and wildlife, and they do.
give people a financial incentive to keep them from going extinct. Explain to your friend that no one cares what happens to things in the wild, but everyone cares what happens to his livestock.
As usual, the extremist enviro-whackos are not telling the truth.
I would say that it is a fatal flaw in logic.
Extinctively Wonderful Spotted Owl Stew I spotted these Owls, shot 'em, and made me a stew ..Bwhahahahha
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside.
Stir the flour and salt together in a shallow bowl and dredge the bird pieces in the mixture.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the same pan. Add the meat and sauté the pieces until they are lightly browned. Layer the onion over the top and pour in the chicken stock, white wine, and thyme. Cover and simmer until the pieces are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet and add the mushrooms. Sauté until they begin to soften. Season with a pinch of salt. Add the mushrooms and their cooking juices to the large pan 10 minutes before the game pieces are done. Serve garnish with chopped parsley.
There may have been merit in this statement 20 years ago, but in the last decade, no such acceleration can be observed.
I'm no believer in killing for killing's sake, but I don't lose much sleep over a few natives poaching to feed themselves or enrich their family.
You are, of course, correct. I did not adress my remarks toward the logic component of the envirowackos/animal rights wackos arguement as they don't have a logic component, but they do have a policy component.
I agree with your observation. A thought crossed my mind that like socialists and the Constitution (they want to pick and choose which parts to enforce, who gets to enforce them, and who is subject to that enforcement) animal lib wackos want to pick and choose what parts of Darwin's theories are enforced as natural law. It might be funny to watch if it didn't take so long.
Exactly! It works far better than guilt or shame or any other liberal reward program.
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