Amen to that, Brett. Lesson one in getting beyond the Disney "If it's cute
let's save it" mentality is that predators need to and should be allowed to
predate. It's the system itself that's threatened by such ignorant and
impulsive stunts as this tourist's attack on the snake.


At 09:49 AM 7/21/02 -0700, you wrote:

>For everyone's information, I did send an apology directly to Mr.
>Jennings. I still feel his actions were completely wrong, but I also admit
>mine were as well. Thanks to those of you who pointed me straight. I just
>wish that people would realize that the life of that snake is just as
>sacred as those of the birds. Nature works just fine without human
>interference, a lesson many could learn.
>
>Brett A. Wolfe Seattle, WA
>
> Hugh Jennings <hughbirder at bigzoo.net> wrote:
>I spent over two weeks at a cabin along the Blue River in Colorado. The
>cabin is at 8900' elevation and 10 miles north of Dillon/Silverthorne. While
>there I made two trips to Lower Cataract Lake which is about 15 miles from
>the cabin.
>
>On July 5 at the west end of the lake the trail is about 100' above the
>lake. We noticed a pair of agitated Western Wood-Peewees(WEWP). Someone
>noticed a snake crawling up the 6-7' bush toward a nest. I scrambled about
>12' down the steep slope and not knowing what kind of a snake it was I
>grabbed it the middle and jerked it out of the bush. We couldn't see it in
>the deep grass. I did see a baby WEWP in the grass which was alive but
>bloody. I picked it up and put in the nest which was already full of three
>baby birds. I am not sure if it could have survived. We watched a few
>minutes for the snake and then someone saw it! was back crawling up the bush.
>It was a garter snake about 30" long and about the thickness of my thumb.
>She went down and pulled the snake out by the tail. I took the snake from
>her and threw it down the slope as far as I could. Hopefully, this
>discouraged the snake from trying again. I figured garter snakes would go
>after birds eggs, but I was surprised it would try to take baby birds which
>would be a big stretch to try and swallow.
>
>Hugh Jennings
>Bellevue, WA
>hughbirder at bigzoo.net
>
>
>
>Do You Yahoo!?
><http://health.yahoo.com/>Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better

Jack Kintner, Blaine jack.kintner at verizon.net
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