Animal rights and protection of inverts

[Anthony W. Cynor]

I think this kind of stuff can be traced to some extreme green group
rather than animal rights although there could be crossover.

Tony

Michael Gochfeld wrote:
> 
> Chris Durden closed his commentary asking about the role of animal
> rights group.
> 
> I have long made it a point to ask Animal Rights activists I encounter
> (for example at their booths at various meetings) about their interests
> in protecting animals.
> 
> Universally (based on about 15 or so discussions) they say that that is
> outside their area.  In other words, if you kill or remove a fox that is
> destroying a Least Tern colony, they will demonstrate against fox
> harassment.  But they are not interest in conserving tern colonies, nor
> in conserving fox habitat, for that matter. The will not demonstrate if
> a developer builds condos on the tern colony (even though the Least Tern
> is an endangered species).
> 
> Thus I find it unlikely that it is animal rights groups behind the move
> to regulate take of invertebrates.
> 
> And yes, in the bird world, where there is a half century of experience,
> it is true that any developer can destroy habitat for hundreds of birds
> without a collectors permit, but an individual could be prosecuted for
> picking up a baby bird without a permit or a scientist could be
> prosecuted for not renewing their collecting permit.
> 
> Yet, I don't think one could be persuasive about lifting all regs on
> collecting native birds, even though so many of them are abundant and
> would make great household pets.
> 
> Mike Gochfeld
>