Mr. Teobaldelli incident

[Pavulaan at aol.com]

I notice how the press (and no doubt USFWS public relations) treats the poor
chap.  As usual, the same old propaganda:  every specimen he caught was "rare
and endangered".  Coming from Europe, he probably just collected whatever he
came across, and probably didn't know any better.  Most of our rare and
endangered species do not fly specifically in National Parks.  He probably
knew he was doing something wrong when he hid his net, but the fact that he
admitted collecting in other parks indicates to me he wasn't aware of the
seriousness of his infraction.

I do not condone collecting illegally in National Parks, but perhaps
collecting permits should be as easy to obtain as fishing or hunting permits.
 On the spot, at the park office.  Not via the usual months-long process of
obtaining a scientific permit, with all it's restrictions and requirements.
 The revenue from such permits can be used for habitat conservation.  I often
find it hard to believe that it is easier to get permission to kill
vertebrates than it is for lower animals. 

Harry Pavulaan