Hi Kelly,

>I have definitely tempered my harsh attitudes toward these exotics. I
think
>that great harm has been and is being done by exotics but it's not
realistic
>to expect to change it and persecuting a few individual animals is futile
>and barbaric. However, in some instances, persecution to reach a
reasonably
>attainable goal for maintaining or restoring a native species makes sense
to
>me. Usually, this takes place in a restricted geographic area but it can
make
>a difference. We may eventually lose these battles but it's worth
exploring
>techniques that might work. Perhaps, in some of these relatively small
areas,
>we can save a species faced with premature extinction due to the
eco-upheaval
>we humans carry with us wherever we go.
>

For some reason, non-native birds do not bother me as much as
introduced herps. I don't mind seeing a chukar during my eastern
WA jaunts, but I despise finding bullfrogs in Quincy Lakes, or
brown anoles in central FL. I figure a bird can come and go as it
pleases, but a herp has to be, intentionally or unintentionally,
released into the wild, where if it survives, has to stay. It's possible
for a blue jay to stray on its own into WA, but you won't find a tiger
rattlesnake that just happened to wander into Montana!:-)

Steve Zimmerman
Renton