1. Okay, I admit it. I initially spoke impulsively, without researching the
situation first. My bad. Apparently, opossums are not indigenous to the
Pacific Northwest.

2. That having been said, Scott, I do want to mention that any wildlife
rehabilitator worth their salt does not display preferential treatment of
one species over another. It's not our right to play God, and decide who is
"worth" saving and who isn't. If it's brought to us, we try to help it to
the best of our ability. Let the bureaucrats sort out management issue.
It's not for us/me to decide. It's still a living creature, and has
inherent value as such.

3. However, as a side note, I do want to add that people of western European
decent have been introduced into this area; the same as scotch broom,
starlings, and house sparrows (and, I might add, are more damaging per
capita to the native environment). If you're advocating not assisting
introduced species, does that also mean that you wouldn't help an injured
Caucasian person? Of course not. It's illegal, for one thing, and
considered something that a person with values wouldn't think of doing. But
I make that point to illustrate *my* point:

I would help an animal in trouble, be it injured or orphaned, to the best of
my ability. In my opinion, it's the right and ethical thing to do. I
wouldn't mandate how you handle a similar situation-that's for you to work
out for yourself. But just as I would help a person in trouble, I would
help another species. I consider it hubris to decide unilaterally who lives
and who dies.

-Jacki Bricker

-----Original Message-----
From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of S. Downes
Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 1999 10:27 PM
To: tweeters
Subject: Re: Babe Opossum - off it.

First of all THANK YOU Tom for saying what most of us were
probably thinking. Opossums and other non-native wildlife should not be
taken to Wildlife Rehab centers are their care will help to perpetuate a
species who existent natives could defiently live without. While
warm-fuzzies may gather some "soooooo cute" reactions I doubt those same
people would bother to take a baby Starling or House Sparrow to the rehab
center (at least I hope not). I'm not saying if people should actively
kill non-natives, thats other discussion we have had before and do not
need to repeat. I would personally leave it alone and if the mother is not
around a predator will get it as it should be. I hope that rehab centers
try to maximize their time for Native Wildlife and if so, we should not
take up their time with exotics, if not to kill them directly then at
least don't help them.

Scott Downes
sdownes at u.washington.edu
Seattle WA

"Birds don't read bird books. (That's why they are seen doing things they
are not supposed to do)." -Mary Wood