Comments on: Wildlife Contraception http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2008/07/wildlife-contraception/ Creative Ideas for a Greener Future Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:15:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michelle http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2008/07/wildlife-contraception/comment-page-1/#comment-13292 Michelle Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:33:21 +0000 http://conbio.squaredesign.com/?p=1135#comment-13292 I understand the need to lower wild animal populations, sometimes by culling, sometimes by contraceptives, but I'm a bit disappointed that nowhere in this article does it mention an overabundance of herd animals as being a possible food source. In developed countries especially, I think there is a untapped niche market for grass-fed, hormone-free, local (& native) meat. Rather than spend lots of $$ trying to give the deer population contraceptives, why not cull some and sell the meat? People will always hunt, people will always eat meat, so utilizing the current overpopulation of deer as a meat source seems like a win-win. Obviously there would need to be proper regulations put in place before selling it to the public, and ideally they would be killed in an ethical way, but it would be a great alternative to the corn-fed, hormone/antibiotic injected, feedlot-processed meats available in most grocery stores. It has worked in other countries: in Australia, kangaroo meat is available to buy; in Canada venison seems rather easy to find; in South Africa there is a variety of local game meats to chose from at various farmer's markets and nicer restaurants. It just seems a shame to not see this opportunity as the win-win situation that it could be. I understand the need to lower wild animal populations, sometimes by culling, sometimes by contraceptives, but I’m a bit disappointed that nowhere in this article does it mention an overabundance of herd animals as being a possible food source. In developed countries especially, I think there is a untapped niche market for grass-fed, hormone-free, local (& native) meat. Rather than spend lots of $$ trying to give the deer population contraceptives, why not cull some and sell the meat? People will always hunt, people will always eat meat, so utilizing the current overpopulation of deer as a meat source seems like a win-win. Obviously there would need to be proper regulations put in place before selling it to the public, and ideally they would be killed in an ethical way, but it would be a great alternative to the corn-fed, hormone/antibiotic injected, feedlot-processed meats available in most grocery stores.
It has worked in other countries: in Australia, kangaroo meat is available to buy; in Canada venison seems rather easy to find; in South Africa there is a variety of local game meats to chose from at various farmer’s markets and nicer restaurants.
It just seems a shame to not see this opportunity as the win-win situation that it could be.

]]> By: Suzanne Moore http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2008/07/wildlife-contraception/comment-page-1/#comment-2823 Suzanne Moore Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:46:28 +0000 http://conbio.squaredesign.com/?p=1135#comment-2823 While good in theory, PZP presents some serious problems in horses. Mares injected with PZP come into estrus every month, year round. This causes serious disruption to herd life, especially when the BLM manipulates gender ratios as well. With more stallions than mares - the opposite of naturally occurring ratios - and the females' continuous cycling, fighting among the stallions for the available mares reaches a level not seen in natural herds. Young stallions have even been known to gang-rape mares. The entire lifestyle of the wild herds is destroyed and the horses are under great stress. To anyone with an ounce of empathy for these intelligent, gentle creatures can see that this really is unacceptable. While good in theory, PZP presents some serious problems in horses. Mares injected with PZP come into estrus every month, year round. This causes serious disruption to herd life, especially when the BLM manipulates gender ratios as well.

With more stallions than mares – the opposite of naturally occurring ratios – and the females’ continuous cycling, fighting among the stallions for the available mares reaches a level not seen in natural herds. Young stallions have even been known to gang-rape mares. The entire lifestyle of the wild herds is destroyed and the horses are under great stress.

To anyone with an ounce of empathy for these intelligent, gentle creatures can see that this really is unacceptable.

]]> By: Oklahoma Senator Seeks Constitutional Right to Hunt : Planetsave http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2008/07/wildlife-contraception/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Oklahoma Senator Seeks Constitutional Right to Hunt : Planetsave Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:07:19 +0000 http://conbio.squaredesign.com/?p=1135#comment-72 [...] Various forms of wildlife contraception have been developed and put into use over the past 20 years. While the technology is still being developed and perfected, it could easily become a humane and effective alternative to hunting in the near future. [...] [...] Various forms of wildlife contraception have been developed and put into use over the past 20 years. While the technology is still being developed and perfected, it could easily become a humane and effective alternative to hunting in the near future. [...]

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