Abstract Thursday (and some words about killing animals)

Cartier necklace? Or boa skeleton?

Boa Skeleton. Wildlife Museum, Tucson, Arizona, 2015

Eye of rhino…

Rhino Eye. Wildlife Museum, Tucson, Arizona, 2015

Interesting place, this “International Wildlife Museum” in Tucson.

Their mission statement: “The International Wildlife Museum is dedicated to increasing knowledge and appreciation of the diverse wildlife of the world as well as explaining the role of wildlife management in conservation.”

“Wildlife management” being code words for hunting, of course.

On one hand, it is sad to think all those incredible taxidermicized and posed animals, bugs, and beasts on display were killed and collected by great white human hunters as personal trophies.

On the other hand, as much as some would not like to admit it, hunting can indeed play a role in maintaining the various animal species currently in decline around the world. It can sound a bit contradictory–say, hunting elephants to save elephants, but that can actually happen (see THIS NAT GEO LINK, for instance).

I am not a hunter and personally don’t like the concept of killing animals for sport. (Although I did once shoot an antelope with my grandfather–an avid hunter–when I was younger.) I much prefer to shoot a Canon than a cannon these days.

However, if you show me numbers–how hunting can actually contribute to the increase in the number of a particular endangered species, I’ll sign on.

In many cases–say, wolves, GRIZZ, deer, elk, black-footed ferret, prairie dogs, and so on–my ultimate preference would be to restore the original balance that existed before we tried to wipe out the predator side of the equation. The problem of encroached habitat, though, will sometimes, preclude this. Alas.

Finally, a couple of Ed Abbey quotes to mull over…The first on the general subject of wilderness danger and predators:

“A venturesome minority will always be eager to set off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks, for godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches – that is the right and privilege of any free American.”

The second on the subject of sport hunting:

“Whenever I see a photograph of some sportsman grinning over his kill, I am always impressed by the striking moral and esthetic superiority of the dead animal to the live one.”