This is in response to Hal Herring’s
well-written and informative article. Your cover was devastating.
That something so beautiful can no longer roam free but ends up in
the arms of one small human with blood on his hands and a smirk on
his face – I simply fail to understand what would give one
permission to destroy such perfection.
I have been a
practicing veterinarian for the past 37 years. I have treated
and/or restored and released wolves, coyotes, mountain lions,
bears, bobcats, hawks, owls and eagles in addition to many
nonpredatory species. I have always had tremendous respect for wild
animals, especially predators. Their agility, intelligence,
strength and awareness, honed by many thousands of years of genetic
adaptation and selection, put them in the creme de la creme
category of species inhabiting the planet.
Human
societies have the advantage of being able to transfer the genius
of a few into the hands of the many. This holds true for firearms,
binoculars, spotting scopes and cameras. Humans also have the
discretionary capability to utilize these technologies to enhance
or destroy the perfection inherent in biological systems, whether
single individuals or entire ecosystems.
The decision of
which tools to use depends on perception, awareness, attitude,
education, thought and action. This decision-making process is
closely tied to connectivity between the hunter and the hunted. The
more highly integrated and compassionate the relationship, the more
respect and less harm will be done. An individual who chooses a
camera can transmit the image worldwide to educate the public about
the perfection found in nature and the need to maintain ecological
sustainability for generations to come. The person who chooses a
firearm reduces evolutionary perfection to the inanimate in an
instant.
Hunting license fees help foster programs
protecting wildlife and wildlands. But add manipulative politics
and management practices into the mix, and then the best interest
of a vested few comes into play at the expense of those taxpayers
who perceive predatory species as an essential part of a balanced
ecosystem. Again we have the discretion and the opportunity in a
democratic society to prioritize spending for programs like habitat
restoration and protection of species, in conjunction with
appropriate management of public lands. These programs do not need
to be dependent on license fees manipulated by individuals who are
mainly interested in elimination of what they see as competitive
predators or worse, the acquisition of trophies for that wall in
the den.
This article certainly makes all these points
clear to me.
Michael A. McCoy, DVM
Imperial Beach, California
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline The destruction of perfection.
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