Comments on: Can hunting endangered animals save the species?
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- Again, emotion trumps science in the court room. As a hunter, I thought 60 minutes did an excellent job trying to cover what is for many an emotional subject. Many non-hunters cannot understand how we can love and work to conserve the very birds and animals that we hunt. Ms. Feral obviously does not consider science, but instead lets her emotions guide her decisions. Perhaps the excess animals that no longer have an economic value can be shipped to her home.
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- Both the opponents and the reporter asked questions and made comments which convinced me that they are not hunters and don't understand key aspects of the economics and psychology involved. I don't like seeing so much USA land devoted to alien species, but according to the story this whole situation began almost by accident and by excellent intentions. Except for the conservation of endangered species, many advocates of having these exotic species in Texas seem much more committed to alien species than to native North American species which also need more room. It should be noted that the Texas longhorn is just as exotic as the African antelopes - not according to U.S. law, but in biological fact, they are, like all domestic cattle here, alien. The Texas Hill Country is an important part of the natural range of the American Bison. There should be more bison here, instead of non-endangered African species. It's a fact that most of the American Bison now alive are in commercial herds: we eat them. It's also a fact that all the African antelope species are normal prey species for humans in Africa. There's something bizarre and disturbing about the fact that in Africa, birthplace of humans and where we first learned to hunt, most indigenous cultures not only turned away from hunting, but treat the wild animals like pests and enemies; at most, mere revenue-producing tourist attractions. I'm a hunter, but use a bow because firearms were invented to kill people, not game. Something needs to be changed in Texas so that the species-recovery efforts don't involve hunting them, and so that the native species like American Bison are given more room there to live.
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- I am totally ashamed of 60 minutes for showing this story. For these bastard hunters to rationize that they are saving endangered species by killing them in these "canned hunts" is not only obscene but it slaps in the face of human decency and caring.
a law needs to be made to make these "canned hunts" of endangered species illegal and in fact any "canned hunt" should be made illegal.
These killing hunts of endangered spoecies in texas are there for only one reason, money. - Reply to this comment
- A lot of knee jerk reaction based on emotions. I think people are failing to see the big picture here. I would bet that these animals will not thrive in Senegal due to the illegal hunting that takes place there. You may not like the fact that these people are hunting these animals, but the fact remains that they are preserving the species and they would do a whole lot better in Texas then they will in Senegal. It's to bad for these animals. They are the ones who will suffer now because of this cruel woman and her misguided animal rights organization.
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- This is despicable. Bringing these magnificent creatures to Texas to be hunted is sick. What is wrong with these people? Does this make them more macho? Anyone who can murder a defenseless animal just for the "sport" of it or under the guise of controlling the animal population has something wrong with them.
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- I have not been a big fan of network news and commentary of late. But this story was a very pleasant surprise. It shows how much hunters and landowners combine to SAVE endangered species and insure healthy wild life population. It further exposes how the radical preservation groups are hurting their efforts. BRAVO sixty minutes!
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- These animals are not immortal - something will kill them eventually and a swift death from a bullet is much more merciful then stavation or desease due to overpopulation. Also, why are humans never considered natural predators - we are. We are part of the natural ecosystem just as much as a wolf, a lion or a tiger.
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- The principal that so many who are outraged by this type of hunt cannot understand is that what is beneficial for the population of a species is often not good for individuals of that species. This is a basic principal of wildlife management. How many, who find a clean kill of an animal to be disgusting, go home and enjoy a steak or pork chop from an animal that was raised in industrial conditions and then "processed"?
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- realy informative glad you have done a story that has put those who realy do care about saveing any specieces of animales from extinction in a very good and logicale light it is call stewardship animale husbandery farmers ranchers and even the peoples republic of china practice (althoe it is on their own people)this its how on limits population explosions and mantain good land grazing practies and in the receant drought those numbers may fall one more thing wanting something to completly dissaper from the face of the earth for ones illlogicale and selfish reasons and then forcing ones belifes upon onthers and then being backed by the government is more immoral then taking care of wild life.
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- Instead of hunting the animals, the ranchers could open a safari camp where tourists, and families can come see the animals for a fee. There are other ways to monetize the breeding of the animals. If the rancher, hunters really love the animals as they claim, they would look at other ways to generate money, or they would simply donate their land and time to breed them for their claimed love of the animal, as the fellow near Dallas did.
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