Karin
Mark Crispin wrote:
>
> On Sat, 25 Oct 1997, John Ritchson wrote:
> > I am of Chippawa and Cree decent and the Wolf is sacred to my people,
> > it is in fact my clans totem. I live in Montana and during the winter
> > of 1978,a lone pregnant wolf burrowed a den under my cabin and had
> > a litter of cubs,of which 4 survived.
> >[Anecdote of normal and common human/canine cohabitation deleted]
>
> > no one for any reason,has a right to kill them for
> > what they are.
>
> Do you extend this privilege to mice, rats, cockroaches, and slugs? If
> not, then justify why one wild animal deserves more consideration than
> other wild animals.
>
> The issue is not about killing wolves because they are wolves. The issue
> is about whether or not a large predator should be reintroduced into areas
> where it has not existed for many years.
>
> The only issue about killing wolves is the management of game species so
> that their population does not exceed what the local ecosystem can
> support. In the case of predators (such as wolves), not only does an
> excess population depress prey species, but it also ultimately leads to a
> crash in the predator population.
>
> This is happening in Alaska today; the Dall sheep, moose, and caribou
> population are in serious trouble because of outside interference with the
> management of predators. 35 times as many prey animal kills are by
> predators than by hunters:
> hunters 2.5%
> accident/disease 10%
> predators 87.5%
> Predators take the easiest kills: old, infirm, pregnant, and young. The
> latter two vastly outnumber the former. Ever since predator management
> started to be dictated by feel-good political correctness instead of sound
> wildlife management principles, 80% of all calves don't make it past their
> first year. Nearly 50% of pregnant cows don't make it.
>
> In any case, there is no issue of killing wolves in Washington State, and
> there will not be, at least not until some years after a reintroduction.
>
> Unlike Alaska, the Olympics contain populations of animals that have not
> been subject to wolf predation for many years. The Olympics and
> surrounding areas have a much more dense human and livestock population
> than Alaska, and less of a wildlife (both prey and predator) population.
>
> This doesn't necessary mean that wolves shouldn't be reintroduced.
> However, it should indicate, to rational people at least, that the
> question of wolf reintroduction is not the no-brainer that is protrayed by
> urban environmentalists. It *will* upset the balance. We have at best an
> imperfect understanding of what the new balance will look like.
>
> Wolves won't do anything about the mountain goats. They probably will
> have a substantial initial impact upon the deer and elk populations (no
> great loss, at least the deer), until the local cervidae wise up. Then
> it'll be the turn of livestock.
>
> > Is this how you would honor the sacred spirit of our earth-mother
> > by killing her children for no other reason then that they exist?
> > Or by denying them a home in the last wild places left?
> >
> > It is not the wolf that is dangerous.It is not the wolf that murders
> > by the millions.It is not wolves that abuse their children,or sow
> > corruption,fear,hate and madness.The wolf does not rape our earth-mother
> > or desecrate her sacred spirit.People do.We,who were granted dominion
> > by the great-spirit,and made to be care-takers, have committed these
> > crimes.It is we humans that have betrayed our sacred trust and duty,
> > and it is we humans that bear the responsibility for the fate of this
> > noble creature,nay,for the earth-mother herself and all that live upon
> > her.
>
> *Sigh*
>
> The only thing that ever makes me ashamed of my part-Indian ancestry is to
> see goofy New Age "earth-mother" babble such as the above presented as
> being the philosophy and/or "suppressed mystical secrets" of aboriginal
> peoples. I guess that it serves a purpose, e.g. extracting cash out of
> bleeding-heart white liberals. But it's still irritating.
>
> It reminds me of 19th century "noble savage" romanticism; a mix of bits
> and pieces of distorted aboriginal religion with European idealism. "We,
> who were granted dominion by the great-spirit" and "sacred trust and duty"
> are very much of European/xtian influence.
>
> -- Mark --
>
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