I posted James Ingold's note to the "Wildlife Damage" list where it created
a bit of consternation. Carl Carnahan, a nuisance wildlife control officer
in the same state, set about checking the facts when some of the subscribers
to the list expressed considerable sceptiscism over the story. Here is his
very illuminating note posted back to the WD group. It looks as though it
was a "free-for-all" to say the least.... although the "spin" that Carl, as
an NWCO, puts on it is illuminating to say the least!
Regards,
Paul Tout.
>Dr. Robert Schmidt,
>
>I went by the local office of the USFWS and inquired as to the shooting
>at the heron rookery in Okla. City and it does involve a few "uh ohs" ,
>to say the least.
>It seems that the town of Bethany, a suburb of Okla. City, has had a BIG
>rookery of cattle egrets for several years, and finally enough. So they
>ask for and received a permit for killing up to 250 CATTLE EGRETS. They
>also involved the USDA-APHIS-WS people and a large number of people
>gathered with their shotguns to help. I don't know what time of the day
>they started shooting, but apparently they wounded as many birds as they
>killed, and these wounded birds scattered over a large area and became
>highly visible to lots of indignant public. A local television station
>got enough film to run about a 5 minute story on it, some of it
>apparently pretty graphic.
>Now the worst part of it was still to come, as the local Audubon folks
>gathered and quickly identified the birds as American Egrets/Great
>Egrets, since the Cattle Egrets had not returned from their winter
>migration to the south. So, how do you say "uh oh" enough times to
>enough people to make this go away? Not yet apparently and an
>investigation will probably continue for a long time.
>Since the permit was issued by the USFWS and the USDA was involved too,
>the animal rights people and the Sierra Club have somebody other NWCOs to
>fuss about.
>Your local USFWS offices may have material on this ,
>
>Best wishes,
>Carl Carnahan
>
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