It's not often that I find myself in agreement with the fine fringe element folks at the "Humane Society of the United States", a group not to be confused with the much more mainstream "Humaine Society" that we all are familiar with. But in at least part of their opinions on the python hunting going on in South Florida they are correct.
If you read the following piece from the "Orlando Centinal" you will see what I mean. Seems that even the fringies at the HSUS know that "we should not pursue wasteful and futile strategies like bounty programs and public hunts in Everglades National Park. They won’t work....".
Simple common sense tells you that just making note of the fact that pythons are good to eat and that the skins look good on a wall or as hat or belt ornaments should be all it takes to get plenty of folks into the woods. And it seems that only the government would think it necessary to pay someone to hunt stuff that tastes good and who's skin makes fine leather.
I mean it seems that with a little work this could be a self supporting program as license fees come rolling in...........but then we are talking about the Federal Government here.
And note that I said Federal Gov. as the Florida FWC has a good track record on things like this and in all likelyhood would be furhter along in doing it just this way if the Feds were not standing in the way.
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The urge to hunt down giant Burmese Pythons in the Everglades got some pushback today from The Humane Society.
While ``deeply concerned’’ about the trade in pythons and their dramatic reproduction in places like the ‘Glades, The Humane Society called proposals to hunt these snakes to decrease their population a ``wrong-headed’’ notion.
Instead, officials should focus on banning the importation and interstate trade in pythons, the animal-protection group said.
The group also frowned on private ownership of large constrictor snakes, noting that one pet python recently got out of its container and killed a 2-year-old girl in Central Florida. A small number of pet snakes that got into the wild apparently led to tens of thousands.
“Because of the reckless practices of the pet trade, and the foolish decisions by people who want to own exotic animals, Florida has a major problem on its hands,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. “While the problem is severe, we should not pursue wasteful and futile strategies like bounty programs and public hunts in Everglades National Park. They won’t work, and could do more harm than good.”
The number of snakes removed could not possibly keep up with the reproduction of the snake population, he said. One captured female reportedly had 85 developing eggs.
Bounty hunting puts people at risk of injury or death and could mistakenly remove non-target snakes from the ecosystem, the group said.
Congressman Tom Rooney, a Republican from Tequesta, and Florida Senator Bill Nelson are seeking a ban on importation of these snakes. Rooney also has introduced a bill to allow hunting of pythons in Everglades National Park, and Nelson has made the same proposal in a letter to the interior Department.
If you read the following piece from the "Orlando Centinal" you will see what I mean. Seems that even the fringies at the HSUS know that "we should not pursue wasteful and futile strategies like bounty programs and public hunts in Everglades National Park. They won’t work....".
Simple common sense tells you that just making note of the fact that pythons are good to eat and that the skins look good on a wall or as hat or belt ornaments should be all it takes to get plenty of folks into the woods. And it seems that only the government would think it necessary to pay someone to hunt stuff that tastes good and who's skin makes fine leather.
I mean it seems that with a little work this could be a self supporting program as license fees come rolling in...........but then we are talking about the Federal Government here.
And note that I said Federal Gov. as the Florida FWC has a good track record on things like this and in all likelyhood would be furhter along in doing it just this way if the Feds were not standing in the way.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The urge to hunt down giant Burmese Pythons in the Everglades got some pushback today from The Humane Society.
While ``deeply concerned’’ about the trade in pythons and their dramatic reproduction in places like the ‘Glades, The Humane Society called proposals to hunt these snakes to decrease their population a ``wrong-headed’’ notion.
Instead, officials should focus on banning the importation and interstate trade in pythons, the animal-protection group said.
The group also frowned on private ownership of large constrictor snakes, noting that one pet python recently got out of its container and killed a 2-year-old girl in Central Florida. A small number of pet snakes that got into the wild apparently led to tens of thousands.
“Because of the reckless practices of the pet trade, and the foolish decisions by people who want to own exotic animals, Florida has a major problem on its hands,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. “While the problem is severe, we should not pursue wasteful and futile strategies like bounty programs and public hunts in Everglades National Park. They won’t work, and could do more harm than good.”
The number of snakes removed could not possibly keep up with the reproduction of the snake population, he said. One captured female reportedly had 85 developing eggs.
Bounty hunting puts people at risk of injury or death and could mistakenly remove non-target snakes from the ecosystem, the group said.
Congressman Tom Rooney, a Republican from Tequesta, and Florida Senator Bill Nelson are seeking a ban on importation of these snakes. Rooney also has introduced a bill to allow hunting of pythons in Everglades National Park, and Nelson has made the same proposal in a letter to the interior Department.
Kill 'em all and let the big guy sort 'em out!
