Besides no Chronic Wasting Disease on Santa Rosa Island, as near as I can tell, there hasn't been any Lyme found on this particular island either... Lyme was found in a fox on one of the other islands.
Do any of you folks from California know?
Anyway, thought this was worth mentioning......
Tracy *************************
quote:Santa Rosa Island [Channel Island chain, California]:
The Vail family, the previous owners of the island who introduced elk and mule deer there in the 1920s, want them to stay. Or at least be relocated....
The family sold the island to the National Park Service in 1986 with the stipulation that hunting and cattle ranching continue....
Santa Rosa Island, the second-biggest island in the Channel Islands chain, is 40 miles from the mainland and covers 54,000 acres. It was owned by the Vail family through three generations....
Cox also argued that the Roosevelt elk and Kaibab mule deer [on Santa Rosa Island] are invaluable because they are free from Chronic Wasting Disease and could be used as a breeding stock to repopulate in case of disaster on the mainland.... [the deer and elk are also free from a number of OTHER diseases that are affecting mainland animals - I read that in a different article]...
Both of California's U.S. senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, want to exterminate the non-native animals .....
Both of California's U.S. senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, want to exterminate the non-native animals .....
So much for "warm and fuzzy".... Why would they do this?? Makes no sense to me!
Posted by griff (Member # 10253) on :
You can't fool around with CWD, these animals are non-native species on that island and support the decision of the biologists.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Cave, I wish I could answer your question. But since I haven't been able to find any testing or hunting regulations for the island, I can only make assumptions that a certain percentage of animals harvested during hunting each year are tested for CWD. But that is ONLY an assumption. CWD testing may be mandatory for all animals taken, or it may be completely voluntary.
Lymetutu, apparently B. Boxer and D. Feinstein are upset because there are certain months of the year when the island is ``closed'' to all visitors except hunters. They want the island open to everyone virtually all of the time.
Of course, if the deer and elk are eliminated, who will want to visit the island to watch a bunch of cattle grazing? A big part of the scenery there is the opportunity to see the herds of wild deer and elk that have been there for 80 years.
Bear in mind that Boxer and Feinstein are big on anti-gun, anti-hunting legislation. I think this is a classic case of where ``having an agenda'' can cloud your vision and limit your ability to make assessments on the merits of any individual case.
This whole case is a bit confusing. Apparently, some form of legislation (?) has been passed so that hunting on the island will cease in 2011. It appears to me that this is a breach of the original contract between the owners and the National Park Service, so I'm a bit confused as to ``the rest of the story''.
I just think the ultimate fate of these animals is extremely important in the Big Picture when it comes to true conservation.
Tracy
Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :
I know PGC of PA tests every year during deer hunting season they also test elk. I think most all states are doing it there farely worried about CWD. Last year NY found I think 3 feer they were imported to private deer farming operations. They know where they came from now there watching very closely the herds that exit. I believe they destroyed all the farm deer,they were brought in from out west I think.
That is no longer allowed. Pa I know dose not let alot of animals in our borders now stopped indefinatly allowing importing animals.
Posted by liz28 (Member # 4946) on :
Disaster on the mainland? Like a meteor hits the earth?
Will the Vail family be used to repopulate the earth as well?
Posted by on :