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| View of the Western Hills, Kunming City, PRC |
Two articles have struck a chord in me this week. Both of them are well-written and both of them are utterly depressing from a conservation standpoint. The first article talks about the success of the
Saiga: an endangered antelope with a range that spans several large eastern countries including Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. John Platt's article talks about the recent success of the population in Kazakhstan and the reasons behind it (minimizing human impact):
Saiga Success: Critically Endangered Antelope Population Doubles in 5 Years. While the article has a hopeful tone, what makes me blue is the fact that this animal is poached for use in "traditional medicine" and as an aphrodisiac. It's a reminder that not everyone views wildlife as I do: with respect.
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| Turtles for sale in the "Bird and Flower Market", Kunming City, PRC-- it was unclear if they were for consumption or for pets. Judging by their poor conditions, neither option was probably well regulated. |
The second article to break my heart this week concerned migrating birds and the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The article is by
Jonathan Franzen, one of my recently discovered favorite authors. In his article, Franzen touches on almost every wildlife conservation issue that exists: blaming climate change instead of addressing issues; traditional medicine and aphrodisiacs; wildlife disease; habitat fragmentation; political conflict and corruption; human development; ignorance. The information is sound and well-written. If you read his article, you'll notice the indiscriminate killing of all migratory birds by people who reside in and people who travel to Mediterranean countries where hunting is not regulated. Franzen's article is brilliant and I hope it gets a lot of press:
Last Song for Migrating Birds
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| Birds, inhumanely caged for sale in the "Bird and Flower Market", Kunming City, PRC--this was one of many many stalls. |
North America had the same problems with indiscriminate killing of wildlife before strict hunting and conservation laws began around the turn of the 20th century. Many species are extinct now because of our unregulated harvesting practices. We are still seeing the effects of these losses on the ecosystems. For example: the complicated relationship between predator removal, the rise of the white-tailed deer, suburbanization, and the increase in the tick species that transmits Lyme disease. Although we still have numerous problems, many of our species such as waterfowl, have populations that are relatively healthy enough that they can be managed for legal hunting. We also have the
Duck Stamp program: in which 98 cents/dollar of the purchased duck stamps is used to buy and lease and protect waterfowl habitat-- and any other wildlife that utilizes it (FYI anyone, not just hunters can purchase these. They are collectors items/conservation tools). In addition, there is the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which helps to protect songbirds and many other bird species.
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| Bird and Flower Market, Kunming City, People's Republic of China. Notice the bins full of amphibians, reptiles and fish. |
I have a lot more to say about wildlife conservation and the uses of wildlife worldwide. As someone who studies wildlife ecology and wildlife disease for a living, articles and facts like these are part of my daily life, but sometimes, like this week, they remind me how precarious the situation is for wildlife in other countries.
