Out at the farm we have a pond. I like to hike back there and see the pond, maybe dip my feet in it. Look down in it to see how the fish are doing. We have a little overturned canoe on the bank if you feel like rowing out, you can chase down our own version of the Loch Ness Monster: a three foot long grass catfish which no-one has been able to catch. Along one side we have dumped in some branches to give the sunfish some protection against the bass-fish when they nest and make minnows. A couple of years ago, the pond level was high and we watched thousands of sunfish nesting in the shallows. Millions of minnows were produced, ensuring a new generation of sunfish.
We do our best to create a healthy eco-system back there.
Until the turtles had a population boom.
Last weekend I hiked back to the pond and found hundreds of turtles sunning themselves on the banks. The pond level is low and the fish are getting scarce. The scarcity of fish is a direct result of the turtles, but the turtle population growth is a direct result of having such a rich feeding source.
My solution is to hike back there today with my .22 rifle and shoot as many as I can. There is no way I can get them all, but I can randomly commit "population control".
My dilemma comes from speaking to friends (women mainly). They claim that it's cruel. I can make the arguement that it's similar to having a grain silo full of mice, or a cornfield full of crows.
If it makes you feel better, I can demonize them by saying that they are snapping turtles. Mean little cussers who could take a toe off. That seems to make people say "Oh, well in that case, it's ok."
When you manage a micro-ecology sometimes you have to do population control. Sorry. I know it's offensive to think of randomly shooting animals that you aren't going to eat.
Would YOU do it? Do you have another solution? I really want to hear the opinions of:
Nicole
Flubberwinkle
Crall
Mary
Zardoz
Snake
Bad Poetry?
- MsAmber
- I am complex, yet simple. I am hearty and frail. I am selfish and generous. I let my emotions prevail. I want to make some sense of it. Of Life, and Love, and God. I want to bring back the simple things. I know that makes me odd. But if you'll stay and read awhile maybe you'll start to see. Then maybe I can share with you a little part of me. MsAmber
6 comments:
Wait, you specifically want MY opinion on something??? Wow!!! :)
It's interesting that I'm reading your post now since Eric and I are watching a show about the surging alligator population on a certain island that prides itself on wildlife refuge. Alligators which have suddenly taken to attacking the island's residents. Very interesting so far.
Anyway, I've got a total soft spot for animals. I don't like hunting (unless it's for food), I don't like fur. I'm half a step below being a PETA hothead. So when I first heard about the poor turtles I got a little sad. I understand the rationale behind population control but there's no way I could actually go outside and shoot something myself. I just don't have it in me.
Let us know how all this comes out!
If I may offer my unsolicited opinion: is there no chance for the turtles to be relocated? Is there no other eco-system that might need turtles to manage their populations? Perhaps a state or national park department would come collect them. Or perhaps your local Animal Control department could collect them.
zardoz says :
shoot em all,let god sort them out
approach, is abit too much,
seems theres a problem between you
and mother nature,
usually when food (turtles)are in abundance , there are owls and small hawks that bring out ,
equality in a ECO-SYSTEM
Man or Woman can help out ,
only in proportion to the problem,
and if natural enemies in the food
chain are in abundance,
So isay that look at all solutions
from enviromental agencies,
that can be incorporated
into your pond.
without ruling out shooting
some of them . or trapping for
transportation to other
wildlife refuges.
LOVELY FRIEND the choice
is yours, be wise
as you have been in the past.
==zardoz==
How did so many turtles come about? It seems that the area lacks natural turtle predators (most common I think are raccoons).
Turtles can cause a lot of problems both in water and on land (they eat fish, strawberries, mushrooms, berries etc.) BUT, they also eat flies and mosquitoes. The argument can go both ways... save the foilage and nearby(?) farming or save people from overabundance of mosquito bites?
I think you're right. Since nature can't control them, you're better off giving Mother Nature a helping hand. This time, next year, they may have doubled and the pond will be completely barren. If I'm not mistaken they lay quite a few eggs at a time.
Btw, don't turtles make a good stew?
Sorry, for delaying my answer. You posted this on Saturday and I was offline until Monday morning.
I offered to make a pot of turtle stew, since I have a recipe. Thanks to my old edition of "The Joy of Cooking". Rob said "No, thanks", seems he can't stand the thought of eating turtle. I might someday get him to try it.
Still waiting on a couple more comments before we move on...
MsAmber
I'm thinking turtle stew. Somehow I can justify killing them - if you can use them. My step-father always hunts, but we eat what he kills. Sometimes venision was the only meat we had.
Otherwise, I would try to move them somewhere else. Collect them in big contractor buckets and dump them in a state park?
Sorry for the delay..DSL problems and I can't post on your site from work....
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