Slaughter of eagles suggests illegal trade

[icymist]

Monday, February 28, 2005

Slaughter of eagles suggests illegal trade

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

VANCOUVER, B.C. -- The slaughter of at least 40 eagles has drawn attention to what appears to be a growing market for feathers and talons of the majestic birds.

Like ivory tusks, bear gall bladders and other prized animal parts, eagle feathers can fetch as much as $500 from unscrupulous buyers, experts say.

In the past month, 40 eagle carcasses have been discovered on an Indian reserve in North Vancouver. The government has assigned a task force to investigate.

Several groups, including the Native band on whose land the remains were found, have offered a total of $10,000 in reward money for the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

The number of birds killed suggests strongly that this is the work of an organized smuggling ring, said Rick Hahn, a senior member of the Conservation Officer Service.

"There is a demand," said Bill Bresser, manager of operations for the conservation service.

There has been speculation that the demand may be related to Indian cultural activities, including the growing powwow-dance circuit. Others suggest that the carcasses may have been dumped on reserve land to try to place blame on the Indians.

More:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/213820_eagle28.html

[gWbush is Mabus]

1. are China and Suadi Arabia buying them?

[icymist]

3. Don't you and I wish this would be that easy.

The sad fact is that the so-called 'New Age' is buying them. The 'New Age' is something that was started here. We're responsible. All that China is doing is meeting a demand. I'm not sure about Saudi Arabia.

[jswordy]

2. I highly doubt it is Indians killing the eagles for sale of parts...

...on the pow-wow circuit. That sounds like an interpretation that is deaf to the spiritual and societal taboos Indian tribes have against harming this bird, universally revered as a messenger of the Creator.

More likely, it is profiteers who travel to the vastness of the rez to hunt and kill eagles there, simply because their numbers are greater on reservation land.

I can't stress enough how many huge cultural walls an Indian would have to climb to do this sort of thing, even someone raised with the values of the dominant society. It may be Indians doing it, but I doubt it because they would have to be acting completely contrary and without regard to the rules of their society.

[pscot]

5. It would be nice to believe that Indians are the ideal stewards,

but greed, hypocrisy and self-delusion are universal failings, and native americans are not immune. I've driven through reservation clear-cuts managed by the tribes that are mere wastelands.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

6. "greed, hypocrisy and self-delusion are universal failings"

If only this understanding was a universal virtue...

[TomClash]

4. I guess . . .

with Ashcroft gone the refrain is now "Let The Eagles Die"