--- Begin Message ---
- From: KingletNY@xxxxxxx
- To: KingletVA@xxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 21:49:28 EDT
--- Begin Message ---
- From: "Wahela" <bluejay@xxxxxxx>
- To: "eBird" <eBird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 10:00:22 -0700
Good morning!
The General public and many wildlife agencies are involved in
questioning the actions taken by these agents in Florida. Here is the
press release I wrote, for your review. As well, I was given this email
address for the public to contact USDA in regards to this tragic and
needless occurrence:
APHIS.Web@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sincerely,
Shelley Pierce
April 5, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA-
A peaceful day golfing in Florida brought humans face to face with two
Red Shouldered Hawks defending their nesting area. In Orange County
Florida, this past week brought human-wildlife conflict to a head that
left the two hawks dead and federal wildlife agents in turmoil over how
the issue was handled.
After more than a dozen human attacks, the red shouldered hawks were
killed by shotgun blasts Wednesday
morning at the Villas of Grand Cypress Golf Resort. The resort had
contacted the local office of USDA Wildlife Division and asked
officials to aid them in removing the birds. The conflict ended with
the hawks being shot and the local USDA Wildlife officials being
questioned by an angry public and numerous animal rights agencies as to
why this decision was made.
Bernice Constantin, State Director for USDA Wildlife Services in
Gainesville has been investigating the event and voiced regret at the
incident.
" Our agency maintains a primary goal in these cases. Protecting and
ensuring human safety is our top priority. The hawks were killed due
to their violent attacks upon the locals. I was in contact with the
agents in our office and allowed the biologists to make a determination
based upon our issued permits. The understanding of all that the
permits allowed for us to do became the basis for some
misunderstanding. We believed that a separate permit was needed for
relocating the hawks or for other measures of control. Our error in
interpreting the wording on these permits is now a primary focus for
this office and I am doing my best to move forward in educating all
agents to better understand permit regulations and allowances. However,
I stand behind the primary goal of our agents....human safety first."
Red Shouldered Hawks and other wildlife have been suffering loss of
habitat due to the massive expansion in this area of Florida where
conflicts with humans have been steadily increasing. During the
breeding and nesting season, some birds of prey can become very
defensive of their nesting grounds and are sometimes driven to attack
humans. However, animal protection groups are outraged at the decisions
made to shoot the nesting hawks. Hawk Watch International, Audubon and
other national agencies are all demanding accountability on the part of
Constanin's office. Many have voiced questions regarding why other
measures of control for these hawks in Florida was not attempted prior
to shooting them. The result of the actions taken by wildlife agents in
Florida will have long reaching consequences to a nation wide concern
of how best to deal with such circumstances in the future.
Human-wildlife conflicts are escalating due to the human occupation of
once open, wild lands that allowed for species progression without
human interference.
Bernice Constantin also stated, "My office will be contacting our State
USDA Representatives to request in-depth training for all officials
responsible for managing these conflicts. Hopefully, our future
conferences will offer detailed classes exploring the full scope of
these permitting rules. Our agents need to completely understand all
their options before they confront similar situations involving these
conflicts between humans and wildlife. However, I firmly believe in
this case, the human safety issue demanded our immediate attention and
that was how the agents from our office proceeded."
Further debate will be required from all sides of this issue. Wildlife
habitat is being consumed at an alarming rate world wide. Conflicts
between humans and wildlife will continue, requiring cooperation
between federal, state and local agencies. The environmental and animal
rights organizations demand attention be paid also to the needs of the
wildlife involved. This is a point of conflict requiring good
communication and cooperation on all parts in order to find solutions.
written by Shelley Pierce
freelance writer from Bozeman, Montana
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