Saturday, April 30, 2011

Extinct--Passenger Pigeon

Martha, the last passenger pigeon

2 comments:

Jim A. said...

The Passenger Pigeon Memorial exhibit in Cincinnati is a classic. The exhibit is inside the last of the buildings that made up the bird display in the early 1900s. The Zoo (Ed Maruska) took advantage of the zoo's history to tell an important story. (Any examples at Philadelphia?)

At Animal Kingdom we attempt to tell the guests about the problems of the Bushmeat Crisis and market overhunting. I try to point out that market overhunting didn't begin in Africa and ask if guests have heard of the passenger pigeon, a bird once so numerous flocks would darken the skies as they flew over. Also ask, who goes to Europe for a wildlife tour. Maybe we'll catch on.

Wade G. Burck said...

Jim,
I suspect a major, major problem in Africa with animal conservation/ivory/Bushmeat etc. etc. is the historical fact that Europeans and Americans have been dictating to the African Nation's what they "must" do, and what they "must" not do, without ever really accepting that it is THEIR natural resource. I'll bet if a delegation of superior African's came to Yellowstone, and told us how to manage and what to do with our elk, buffalo, and wolves, what, when, and how we could hunt, what we can and can not do with the antlers, pelts harvested, we would tell them to get back on what ever plane they flew in on, and turn around and head back to Africa.
Wade