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From: rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Kehaar)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Observing threatened/endangered species
Message-ID: <1990Feb2.172032.4608@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Date: 2 Feb 90 17:20:32 GMT
Sender: news@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (News)
Reply-To: rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Kehaar)
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lines: 30

Netbirders:

     Recently a friend of mine related a story about a group of birders in New
Mexico that chased a Black Rail, literally, down the gullet of a Great Egret.
This represents the unnatural death of a theatened species, and is a classic
case of birder irresponsibility.  I'm not usually a "soapbox" person, but 
I feel compelled to show the "Endangered species Litany" in memory of the 
rail and for the sake of all threatened birds: 
     
     "Threatened and endangered species usually got that way because of human
      disturbance and/or interference.   It is a birder's responsibility, when
      observing these species, to take great care that they are not disturbed 
      in any way that will endanger their survival or breeding success.  They
      are already in trouble because of irresponsible humans, let's not make
      their situations even worse."

Predators will be predators, but which is more important, getting that rarity
or ensuring that it will survive to see another day?

And I hope that rail gave that egret a hellish case of indigestion before
it was asphyxiated!


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R. Cody Buchmann                             ^.^  
   "Kehaar"                 

email: rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu       "Now I fly for you..." - Watership Down
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