I agree with you and Martha Jordan in regards not protecting introductions,
especially birds. I think I know a thing or two about all this having spent
the last 16 years of my career in Hawaii as the wildlife administrator and
endangered species coordinator for Hawaii and all the islands in the central
and west Pacific under the American flag. A district which was 3.5 million
square miles of ocean encompassing some 2,00 islands.

Hawaii is known as the endangered species capital in the whole world, bar
none. Yes, early day Hawaiians contributed to some degree for the extinction
of birds, but it was the coming of Captain Cook and the white man that
hastened the extinction of endemic birds. Since that time 23 species of
these species have become extinct, and today several species are on the
threshold of extinction. a case in point is the Po'ouli (Hawaiian name for
Blackface). 30 species are on the national
list as endangered with several considered as threatened. Some of the causes
of extinction and endangeredment as follows:

Introduction of Black Rats, Polynesian Rats and Norway (Brown Rats) by
variuous means. Deliberate introductions of the mongooses by sugar planters
to control rats, but they were just as bad on ground nesting birds such as
the Nene (Hawaiian Goose). Over 150 kinds of birds, most introduced by
do-gooders which brought avian diseases such as malaria and fowl pox to
which many endemic species of birds had no resistance to the Islands..
Accidental introduction of mosquitoes by Caucasian whalers. They transmitted
diseases of introduced birds to endemics. Non native birds competing with
endemics.

Alteration of habitat by introduced domestic cattle, sheep and goats plus
Axis and Blacktail deer and mouflon sheep. Large tracts of native forests
were devestated. Introduction of non native trees to displace native trees.
Plants like the banana poka which grew to such extinct that they literally
cover native forest tree. And the European boar which also devestated large
tracts of native forest- an event that is still occurring but some attempts
now at controlling them.

Hunters complaining at attempts to control goats, sheep and deer. I won't
get into the extinction of hundreds of endemic plants caused by urbanization
and cattle, goats, etc..

These are just some of the causes of ectinction and endangerment. I won't
get into oceanic animals. Sometimesduction I think we are fighting a losing
battle. Hopefully not. So I have no sympathy to those people that object to
control of introspecies which have detrimental affects on endemics and
native birds. They would better be devoting their concerns and efforts to
the welfare of our natives and endemics. When you play around with
introductions, you really don't know the turn they will take. Oh, yes, I
forgot to mention the introduction of the Brown Rat Snake which has
eliminated almost all the birds on Guam. Island ecosystem are extremely
fragile. That is another story.

Gene Kridler
Old (85) Retired USFWS biologist


----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Egger" <m.egger at comcast.net>
To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2004 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: Migratory Bird Treaty Act/Swans


> Thanks, Martha and others for offering "dissident" perspectives on
> this issue. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act really SHOULD exclude
> non-native, (but more to the point) INTRODUCED species. Blind defense
> of the "pretty" (such as Mute Swans), to the detriment of native
> species and native, naturally-evolved communities of organisms is a
> significant issue that deserves thorough discussion by those who love
> and want to protect the natural world. Many other such instances can
> be found. Fanatical defenders of large, "sexy" , but non-native
> wildlife have often hindered recovery and even survival of many
> native but more obscure organisms. Three classic examples come to
> mind:
>
> 1. The extermination of introduced, feral farmyard goats on San
> Clemente Island, off San Diego, was held up for years by lawsuits
> from animal rights groups (particularly Fund for Animals), while many
> species of native plants, birds, and mammals were brought to the
> brink of extinction. Finally, when rational minds prevailed and the
> last goats were shot, the island has made a splendid recovery (though
> some species remain at critically low levels). When I visited this
> island in the late 1990's to study Castilleja grisea, a native,
> shrubby paintbrush endemic to San Clemente, I was impressed by the
> recovery. Prior to the goat killing, Castilleja grisea was very close
> to extinction, surviving the hoofed onslaught only on a few
> inaccessible crevices in steep canyon walls. If the goats had
> continued on San Clemente, there is no doubt that the result would
> have been the same as has occurred on Isla Guadalupe, a similar
> island off Baja California, where the native vegetation and most of
> the native birds have essentially disappeared. This once biological
> unique island is now a virtual moonscape, with the most common
> animals there being (aside from the goats) black widow spiders and
> aggressive earwigs. Many plant species and the endemic storm petrel
> are now assumed to be extinct.
>
> 2. Attempts to remove and/or kill introduced Mountain Goats in the
> Olympic National Park (there is NO credible evidence that Mountain
> Goats existed in the Olympics prior to human introductions for
> hunting purposes in the early 1900's) were seriously hampered and
> ultimately thwarted by animal rights groups, despite clear and
> compelling evidence that the goats are degrading alpine communities
> not adapted to their presence, including several rare plants endemic
> to the Olympics.
>
> 3 The defence and promotion of non-native Eucalyptus trees in
> California, which produce allelopathic chemicals and other substances
> that harm birds feeding in their leaves and prevent other plants (not
> adapted to their biochemistry) from growing in their understory.
>
> So, you may want to write a letter on this issue, though you may want
> to express an opinion other than that intended by the "Best Friends
> Animal Society"!!! Are introduced Mute Swans, despite their graceful
> aspect, any more deserving of defence than House Sparrows or
> Starlings? I would contend that the answer is "NO"!
>
> Mark Egger
> Seattle, WA
>
>
>
> >The Migratory Bird Treaty Act was designed to protect our NATIVE species.
> >Some of these species are being seriously impacted by introduced species,
> >including the mute swan and others.
> > For another point of view on the subject please go to the following
> >website:
> >
> >http://www.capitolconnect.com/audubon/summary.asp?subject=326&flow=2
> >
> >The loon populations in the mid-west, waterfowl and shorebirds of the
east
> >coast and many other areas are being negatively impacted by non-natives.
I
> >do not support the wholesale killing of birds, but offering protection
under
> >the MBTA is not only folly, but not what the drafters of this important
> >document intended.
> >
> >Martha Jordan
>
>
>