Extinction
Posted August 28th, 2003 @ 09:47am by Erik J. Barzeski
Over at "bsag" the author is talking about saving birds from extinction. I'm all for saving birds from extinction if we're the ones who put them there - by building industrial centers in their prime nesting areas, for example - but if nature is the one who's ruled them out, who are we to play God (or Mother Nature, or Darwin's antagonist, take your pick) to save them?
I love nature; absolutely adore it. However, this seems a bit egotistical to me. Couldn't the money, time, and effort used to save a bird not fit for existence be better spent doing other things?
On another side effect, as a kayaker now, I'm taking a very new position in some of the recent moves made by the "Save the Manatee" people. The STM people, seemingly, want to designate people-free waterways. Not boat- (and thus propeller-blade-) -free, but people-free. A guy in a kayak or a canoe (or a play raft) has never done anything to harm a manatee or its existence - propeller blades have. Closing off the waterways to all people traffic puts the STM people dangerously close to the nutcases in PeTA in terms of extremism.
Donate Life
Posted 28 Aug 2003 at 11:57am #
What is the problem with "people-free" waterways? Is there something wrong with having certain areas that are off-limits to people? Is there something special about those specific waterways that can't be found anywhere else? Do we really have the right to go wherever the hell we please just because we are the dominant species on this planet? That seems rather egotistical to me.
Posted 28 Aug 2003 at 12:25pm #
If the existence of people in some form does not disturb the wildlife and the exposure some people may get to wildlife increases their appreciation for nature, then it's counter-productive to close off the areas.
"People-free areas" in the name of "Save the Manatees" is throwing the baby manatee out with the seawater. Kayakers pose no threat to manatees. Hunters, fisherman, etc. are already seeing a decline in fishing and hunting areas due to industrialization and deforestation - why cut down fishing (or even just paddling areas for what amounts to no real reason?
It's not egotistical. It's common sense. Some groups go too far sometimes.