Re: NANFA-- "Ugliest fish in North America"

Jeffrey Fullerton (tcmajorr_at_westol.com)
Wed, 07 Jan 2004 02:33:36 -0500

> Date: Tue, 06 Jan 2004 19:52:02 +0100
> From: Steffen Hellner
> Subject: Re: NANFA-- "Ugliest fish in North America"
>
>
>
> The other side of the medal: nowhere in the world nature is treated worse
> than in the underdeveloped countries. They are not closer to nature by mind
> rather than only by situation. They destroy their land, pollute their waters
> and kill their native animals faster and more consequently than we in Europe
> or North America have ever done. The Bison can be happy not to have lived in
> Asia or Africa.
>
The heirarchy of needs. These cultures are preoccupied with survival and
attaining basic creature comforts- just like Europeans and Americans in
earlier times. Even in the developed world those living closer to the
edge are less concerned with Nature that those who are better off.
People who support conservation related agendas generally are wealthy or
middle class people with disposable income and some time on their hands
to engage in activities that bring them into contact with the natural
world.

Part of the reason bison were so fortunate was that the remaining herds
were in private hands and the red tape that constrains the husbandry of
protected species was non-existent in those days compared to now. It's
not a good thing that a species be allowed to decline to that point (I'm
sure bison lost alot of genetic diversity and distinct geographic races)
but it's not a good thing either to snarl efforts to solve a problem
with turf battles over who should be in control. Especially when a
private citizen who is interested in working with something can invest
personal wealth as opposed to dealing with the fickle nature of public
purse strings.

Think of how much father ahead the recovery of alot of species might be
if they didn't have to compete for priority and limited resources of
govt agencies, as well as being hostage to popular whim. privatization
solves alot of these problems and I keep hearing that it is working very
well in South Africa.

Ranchers are getting rid of their cattle and turning their ranges back
into habitat for endangered rhinos and other wildlife.

Jeff

> Of all tyrannies, a tyranny excercised for the good of it's victims may be the
> most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barrons than omnipotent
> busybodies. The robber barron's cruelty may sometimes sleep. his cupidity at
> some point may be satisfied; but those who torment us for our own good will
> torment us without end, for they do so with approval of their own conscience.
> C.S. Lewis
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