Your statement reminds me of the silly word of "let them go extinct in
honor". NO, if natural habitat will go or population is down to the edge,
take them out, breed them and then put many back (if the habitat still
exists - or rebuild it). Should not be the problem with most fishes. In the
US there are good experiences and success with native fish species which are
bred in captivity and stock is kept for backup (some trouts, humpbacks,
squawfish - btw. does the name of this fish has to be changed following the
new law that the word "squaw" is dishonoring the native american people?).
How long do you think will the mentioned darters survive as a species in the
"wild" of Birmingham, AL? Wouldn4t it make sense to build up captive
populations in public and private aquariums to save them at least as species
if not as a wild one? Or do you believe the people in Birmingham, AL and the
authorities to be aware of what they have and that the will stop going on as
they did in the past? One day or the other the spring will be polluted or
destroyed - no question. By incidence or accidence. The fish won4t care
about the reason.
Again, if they would be nice little fur wearing species, they would do
everything for them. But they are tiny, sticky animals in the water. You
can4t hug them. Thus they are not of interest for the public. Once heard,
soon forgotten. Reasonable that the WWF carries the pandabear in his
brandmark. Imagine it would be an endangered small fish or even a venomous
snake? Hardly anybody would give a cent. With the panda, millions are giving
billions. It4s business and has nothing to do with true and honest
protection of species diversity in the world. Why is a sibirian tiger worth
100 millions a year (that4s the count I recognized) for protection which is
impossible because of its range in nowhere-land? With that money the entire
biotopes of thousends of endangered species could be bought and the door was
shut. Can you tell me, why?
Steffen
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org