Re: Re: genetic diversity revis
RogerMalo at aol.com
Wed, 17 Apr 1996 22:25:11 -0400
wildness does not necessarily equal perfection - is not a philosophical
comment the way I was using it in my post. It is a comment on the problems
of wildlife in America. I could mention the California Condor all of which
were taken into captivity due to too small a number to breed and survive in
the wild, the black footed ferret found near Meeteetse, Wyoming - all were
taken into captivity due too too small of a population to survive in the
wild, and a number of other animals. There are many places like the Fossil
Rim Wildlife Center in Texas, The Trust begun by Gerald Durrell on the Island
Of Jersey - British I believe, and others set up to rescue animals from the
wild and keep them alive in captivity when they face extinction.
I am saying that leaving an animal in the wild does not necessarily
achieve the perfect result of preserving genetic diversity. I am also
thinking about what can happen in an accident. A great number of sea otters
were lost to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. A fair number of Manatees are at
risk from an unknown killer in Florida. A large number of Manatee have died
from a pnuemonia causing agent but no one has yet found the cause. Others
can probably site more cases.
Roger