[va-richmond-general] Re: BLACK VULTURES TO BE KILLED TOMORROW AT HENRICUS PARK

 John, with all due respect, I'm not buying it.  Not one bit.  Here's why:

 "December 2005 Black Vulture Depopulation
 · Project Development and Coordination - The lead government agency
 conducting the depopulation project is the U.S. Department of
 Agriculture's Wildlife Services Section (USDA-WS).  The project is being
 conducted under a federal migratory bird depredation/damage permit issued
 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with concurrence by DGIF.  The
 Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries carefully evaluated the
 project and is working cooperatively with USDA-WS to resolve the Black
 Vulture problem at Dutch Gap.  Nongovernment groups involved with
 resolution of this problem include Henricus Park, Dominion Power,
 Castaway Sporting Goods, and local anglers."

Read the last sentence and you'll see just who some of the the real troublemakers actually are.

Since when should this segment of the population have such unprecedented power in making a POLICY decision affecting a native species in the state whilst Audubon was notably NOT present and presumably silent on the matter?!

Folks, there's no excuse here. It is high time that the hunters and fishers be put in their place. They have for decades and decades manipulated public funds, lands and accessiblity to wildlife to suit their own desires and agendas. They have used their unprecedented power to co-opt what is, in fact, best for a species so that they can push legislation and policy positions which suits their own bloodsport interests but which are rarely or never backed up by actual science.

And now apparently, as documented in the information posted, they were instrumental in the development of a bird removal policy. And these people know about birds...how? And these people are WHAT kind of scientists? They aren't. Yet there they are in full force, advocating the killing of wildlife. Interesting.

Here's another reason why there's problems with arbitrarily exterminating wildlife:

 "· History of Black Vultures and  Damage at Dutch Gap - Black Vultures
 have utilized the Dutch Gap area as early as the 1980s for roosting and
 loafing.  During the 1990s, vulture use of the area increased
 significantly, possibly due to loss of preferred roost sites to
 residential and commercial development.  In 1999, Black Vultures at the
 Dutch Gap boat ramp were documented damaging cars by scratching paint,
 pulling off windshield wipers and moldings, and tearing car covers; they
 also were leaving fecal matter and vomit on vehicles, boat trailers, and
 the boat landing grounds.  The vultures extensively loaf on Dominion's
 power station facilities, creating a safety/health hazard due to
 excrement on walkways and other equipment."

 Read:  loss of preferred roost sites due to commercial development.

Who created this problem? We did, by allowing their traditional woodland nesting sites to be destroyed by "developers" who too quickly eliminated their natural habitat and confinded them to the wooded corridor now controlled by VA Dom Power. Who's to blame here? Humans.

"The vultures extensively loaf on Dominion's power station facilities, creating a safety/health hazard due to excrement on walkways and other equipment."

They "loaf?" What is this, a job evaluation or something? This is an utterly RIDICULOUS subjective value statement. If they create a mess, CLEAN IT UP AND QUIT WHINING.

Lastly, the USDA isn't supposed to be an exterminator for hire, so why are they getting involved with this? They have overstepped their institutional directives doing this and yet no one bats an eye or questions it, why? For a few "dirty, ugly vultures that no one likes."

 People, PROTEST.

If the USDA doesn't like it they can get a d*mned warrant because that's what they will have to have to remove any of us from public lands.

 Furious in Southside





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