Of Wolves and Fish
While perusing the BBC news website I discovered two interestingly juxtaposed stories. This one describes how Sweden is now allowing wolf hunting after decades of protecting the species. Then this one is about a giant fish species, the arapaima that is in danger of extinction due to overfishing.
So, we've got one carnivorous mammal species that was at one time completely eradicated from Sweden and then reintroduced to the country and now being hunted because of perceived threats from them. And a species of carnivorous fish in the Amazon that has been harvested for a couple hundred years now on the verge of disappearing so people are pushing for conservation of the fish. Remove some and preserve some - why the difference?
Wolves have a bad reputation all over the world apparently and their systematic removal from any regions where people live and thrive was at one time considered a 'good thing'. Then people learn about ecology and the importance of keystone species and so start to conserve and protect these rare critters. Then, when the wolves get back to healthy population sizes folks rethink their ecological worldview. Heaven forbid a wolf do what wolves do and eat other animals that we might like to eat. Gotta get rid of them! It's happening right in my back yard in Idaho. I am amazed at how many folks say we need to get rid of them completely - again. They bring up all the old fears - wolves will ruin elk/deer herds, eat your livestock, babies, pets, and even YOU! I can concede that wolves do attack livestock but I believe that is a risk you take when you choose to be a rancher. Besides, ranchers are getting good money in the US for documented wolf kills to livestock. How about we maintain some of that conservation ethic for wolves the way folks are looking at the endangered fish species?
Of course the fish species is source of food for the people and not a competitor or killer of livestock. It seems to me that people get most upset when there seems to be a 'problem' in the natural world that inconveniences them. Wolves create more work for folks and remind us that we might not be top dog, so to speak. Don't want to compete with them so open a can of whup ass and smack them back down a notch or two - show them who's boss! But the fish! We EAT the fish. We NEED the fish!
Protect the fish. Kill the wolves.
Yeah, I am a bit annoyed by the whole thing. I need to remind myself that conservation isn't really this black and white and people tend to have more nuanced views of nature. I am also fine with hunting wolves if that is what you are into (although I have no desire to hunt wolves or any other predator I wouldn't eat) and the population is healthy enough for it. But my issue is the attitude about the critters. Why all the hate?
So, we've got one carnivorous mammal species that was at one time completely eradicated from Sweden and then reintroduced to the country and now being hunted because of perceived threats from them. And a species of carnivorous fish in the Amazon that has been harvested for a couple hundred years now on the verge of disappearing so people are pushing for conservation of the fish. Remove some and preserve some - why the difference?
Wolves have a bad reputation all over the world apparently and their systematic removal from any regions where people live and thrive was at one time considered a 'good thing'. Then people learn about ecology and the importance of keystone species and so start to conserve and protect these rare critters. Then, when the wolves get back to healthy population sizes folks rethink their ecological worldview. Heaven forbid a wolf do what wolves do and eat other animals that we might like to eat. Gotta get rid of them! It's happening right in my back yard in Idaho. I am amazed at how many folks say we need to get rid of them completely - again. They bring up all the old fears - wolves will ruin elk/deer herds, eat your livestock, babies, pets, and even YOU! I can concede that wolves do attack livestock but I believe that is a risk you take when you choose to be a rancher. Besides, ranchers are getting good money in the US for documented wolf kills to livestock. How about we maintain some of that conservation ethic for wolves the way folks are looking at the endangered fish species?
Of course the fish species is source of food for the people and not a competitor or killer of livestock. It seems to me that people get most upset when there seems to be a 'problem' in the natural world that inconveniences them. Wolves create more work for folks and remind us that we might not be top dog, so to speak. Don't want to compete with them so open a can of whup ass and smack them back down a notch or two - show them who's boss! But the fish! We EAT the fish. We NEED the fish!
Protect the fish. Kill the wolves.
Yeah, I am a bit annoyed by the whole thing. I need to remind myself that conservation isn't really this black and white and people tend to have more nuanced views of nature. I am also fine with hunting wolves if that is what you are into (although I have no desire to hunt wolves or any other predator I wouldn't eat) and the population is healthy enough for it. But my issue is the attitude about the critters. Why all the hate?
Fear.
ReplyDeleteAin't it that way with most of "the hate" in the world these days? Fear for life, way of living, unknown?
Yup. We fight or vilify what we fear.
ReplyDelete