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Rampaging fisherman violate Galapagos sanctuary as fish populations decline. They have burned national park offices, invaded the giant tortoise breeding area and removed several baby and adult tortoises. They have threatened park officials and tourists in an effort to force the overturn lobster fishing quotas and open this marine sanctuary to longline fishing. Greenpeace has volunteered to work with Ecuadorian government patrols to prevent illegal fishing. and is asking for donations to help replace vandalized computer and communications equipment. Sea Shepherd PO Box 2616 Friday Harbor WA 98250 http://www.seashepherd.org
The assault on the Galapagos is probably the result of the worldwide decline in sea life caused by overfishing, pollution, and in some cases, global warming. Fishermen who know no other occupation are desperate to find enough fish. We all know about the decline in the once inexhaustible supply of cod of northeastern US and Canada. A study by the American Fisheries Society found 82 fish species in danger of extinction. North Sea cod populations are close to the minimum needed to preserve the species. The EU is considering "drastic" quota reductions there. The Pacific Fishery Management Council has cut quotas in rockfish who take 13 years to mature and can live as long as 100 years. To complete the bleak picture, add in the death of 25% of the earth's coral reefs due to pollution and the use of explosives and poisons by fishers.
The Department of the Interior has decided Hopis should be allowed to capture and kill eaglets from Wupatki National Monument in Arizona. As the proposal is still in draft form (NYT, Oct 29) letters to Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt , 1849 C Street NW Washington DC 20240 may influence this backward decision. The Hopi tribe claims that it is their right under the Constitution's guarantee of religious freedom to smother eaglets in a religious ceremony. They further claim that their ancestors traditionally stole eaglets from the monument's lands for this purpose The worst thing about this situation is that half of the 40 large parks surveyed by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility had received demands for hunting rights from neighboring tribes. Yielding to these demands would destroy the preservation ethic of the parks and other public lands where wild animals are presently protected from human exploitation. The Hopi's are not the only ones who had a destructive religious ceremony. The Inquisition, witch burning and other malpractices were performed in the name of religion. Sacrificing animals in the name of whatever gods is a religious ceremony best consigned to a less enlightened past. The attitude of native people participating in the Buffalo Field Campaign (below) is one of reverence rather than destruction and preservation of life rather than exploitive sacrifice.
The Buffalo Field Campaign reports that DOL agents are already harassing the animals. About 20 buffalo who have begun to leave Yellowstone National Park to find winter food are being driven back into the park by Montana Department of Livestock personnel using cracker guns among other means despite the fact there are no domestic cows in the area at this time.. Their tactics stress the animals and cause them to lose some of the fat reserves they have stored up to see them through the winter. The campaigners are prepared for a tough winter ahead and invite the help of supporters who can assist with their patrols and keeping tabs on DOL tactics. Money for supplies is always needed. Buffalo Field Campaign, PO Box 957 West Yellowstone MT 59758 406-646-0070 Buffalo Nations
<http://www.wildrockies.ORG>
Letters of opposition to DOL, PO Box 202201 Helena MT . Instate phone 800-523-3162. From out of state, 406-444-2023 or 406-444-2095. Be polite. Ask questions.
New population control method for elephants? Elephants in southern African countries are reproducing too fast for the expanding human population to tolerate. Dr Antoni Milewski at the University of Capetown has suggested this may be due to modern boreholes which make iodine-rich water available to roving elephants. Elephants have evolved with a naturally iodine-deficient diet that tends to limit reproduction. In eastern Africa, elephants are known to excavate caves in hillsides to reach iodine-rich salt deposits. Closing boreholes would reduce available iodine, but it would also increase the risk of death by dehydration.
Malaysia has appealed to the World Trade Organization to overturn American sea turtle protection law. The law forbids the importation of shrimp from countries that do not use turtle excluder devices (TEDS). Marine scientists estimate that boats without TEDS are killing up to 150,000 endangered turtles every year. After the WTO declared the US law illegal, American fishery officials agreed to help other countries install TEDS on their boats, but Malaysia still seeks to have the US law repealed.
After taking a big step forward by creating nine new National Monuments, President Clinton has taken another step backwards by putting them under the control of BLM. The Bureau of Land Management has a poor record of permitting mining, grazing and tree-cutting as well as hunting and trapping in sensitive areas for the benefit of private business. Up until now, National Monuments have come under the jurisdiction of the Park Service, which tries to conserve habitat and wildlife. The Grand Staircase in Escalante National Monument has already been opened to oil and gas development.
Anheuser Busch brewing company has announced that it will remove "hundreds" of its corporate cows from Sierra Nevada meadows in the Golden Trout Wilderness area, the last remaining habitat of the Volcano Creek golden trout, a species that is being threatened by grazing.
USFWS has in effect authorized hunting of rare trumpeter swans by opening a season on tundra swans because it is hard to distinguish between the two species. Only 70 breeding pairs of trumpeters are known to live in the US. The Biodiversity Legal Foundation, The Fund for Animals and Utah Environmental Congress are suing to stop the hunt and secure emergency endangered species protection.
Western fires destroyed important sagebrush habitat in addition to forests. This less publicized damage has impacted the already declining sage grouse population and, of course, the species that prey on grouse.
Another introduction gone wrong. Arizona is trying to persuade people to eat crawfish (aka crayfish and crawdad), the mini lobster-like critters it imported to serve as food for "sport" fish like trout. The trout didn't take to them and they are multiplying to an extent that could interfere with ecosystems. Arizona Game and Fish Department solution: promote eating them with no catch limits and a special law that makes it legal to transport them live.
Wolves were found to be more adaptable to humans and to kill less livestock than first feared according to an intensive study at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota. The 61,500 acre refuge is surrounded by agricultural land and 25 ranches. From 1997 to 2000, there have been between one and three packs with a total population of 12 to 21 wolves. Despite the fact that wolves pass through fields of grazing animals, there have been only 11 attacks and five kills in 10 years. Feces analysis revealed that their diet consisted mostly of deer although they were observed following a tractor to take advantage of the small animals such as mice and voles who are displaced by the tractor. The wolves migrated into the area on their own, probably from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area where they have been established for a long time.
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Global warming and expanding human populations are causing more conflicts between humans and wild animals. All too often this results in death for the animals. If we are going to keep a healthy biodiversity, it will be necessary to develop more constructive ways of resolving the conflicts. Also needed, is more respect for other species on the part of the dominant human species. British Colum
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