First thanks for the excellent post.
This hits at the very heart of my message. No action isn't being cruel its
the natural process. I always hear that rehab centers need help in
monetary and hands. If this is true then decisions do have to have to be
made, its a simple equation: so much money+so much help=so many animals
that can be taken care of. So why shaft native species to try to rehab
non-natives. If a rehab center gives treatment to an exotic when that
takes away precious resources from say a native songbird then I question
their ethics. I do believe and flame me if you must that most animals
should only be given to a rehab center if its a species of concern or an
animal that may not produce 5 young the next year. Rehab centers don't
have unlimited resources so why should every bushtit baby be taken
there. I love small songbirds (they're my favorite bird group) but some
times the choice of inaction to baby animals is the best.

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


On Thu, 13 May 1999, D. Daily wrote:

> Then let's treat it (as someone mentioned) as a wild animal, leave it to
> survive or end up as someone's dinner or worm food. This is what happens
> in real life to indigenous or introduced animals when people don't
> interfere. I believe rehab resources (which are limited) need to be put to
> the best use, and that is not saving every cute thing that crosses our
> path. Difficult, but i'm sure some falcon would love a bite of possum.