Scientist Euthenizes Bird Thought to be Extinct

[Kilgore Trout]

A scientist named Chistoper Filardi, of the American Museum of Natural History is under fire for euthanizing a rare bird in the Solomon Islands, a Moustached Kingfisher, not seen since the 1950's and before that the 1920's.

Filardi, knew exactly what kind of bird it was since as he put it , it existed at the intersection of myth and reality; but, after taking a few photos of himself with the captured bird he decided the best thing to do was euthanize it and take it to a bird taxidermist to help galvanize public support for saving the bird from total extinction.
His decision to 'collect' the bird is under fire from a lot of people.

“Of course, ‘collect’ means killed, a lame attempt to sanitize the totally unnecessary killing of this remarkable sentient being,” Marc Bekoff, professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, wrote in the Huffington Post. “When will the killing of other animals stop? We need to give this question serious consideration because far too much research and conservation biology is far too bloody and does not need to be.”

I think the world would be a better place if Filardi was the one 'collected' while the bird was set free.

http://www.thestar.com/news/insight...-a-bird-that-hadnt-been-seen-in-50-years.html

 

[red]

A scientist named Chistoper Filardi, of the American Museum of Natural History is under fire for euthanizing a rare bird in the Solomon Islands, a Moustached Kingfisher, not seen since the 1950's and before that the 1920's.

Filardi, knew exactly what kind of bird it was since as he put it , it existed at the intersection of myth and reality; but, after taking a few photos of himself with the captured bird he decided the best thing to do was euthanize it and take it to a bird taxidermist to help galvanize public support for saving the bird from total extinction.
His decision to 'collect' the bird is under fire from a lot of people.

“Of course, ‘collect’ means killed, a lame attempt to sanitize the totally unnecessary killing of this remarkable sentient being,” Marc Bekoff, professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, wrote in the Huffington Post. “When will the killing of other animals stop? We need to give this question serious consideration because far too much research and conservation biology is far too bloody and does not need to be.”

I think the world would be a better place if Filardi was the one 'collected' while the bird was set free.

http://www.thestar.com/news/insight...-a-bird-that-hadnt-been-seen-in-50-years.html

What a jerk

 

[Titalian]

I'm not going to comment, I just get too pissed. But look at that beautiful creature.

 

[bishop]

It is just a bird, he was doing his job by collecting it. If I ran into bigfoot and I had a shotgun, I would shot it dead and exhibit the body to make some cash.

 

[fmahovalich]

Perhaps verification of the story need to be done. Could be the Onion reporting

 

[Titalian]

It is just a bird, he was doing his job by collecting it. If I ran into bigfoot and I had a shotgun, I would shot it dead and exhibit the body to make some cash.

Says much about you, you are just a handle.

 

[bishop]

This story is not so outrageous that it smells like it is from the Onion. Science has always been cold and without emotion, killing something to better study it is pretty much textbook science.

The alternative is that this guy tells everyone he saw the bird and perhaps he takes a few photos of the bird if the circumstances are right, half the people will say he is lying and it is a photoshop or the picture is too this or that. In a case like that he would be better off just never telling anyone he saw the bird.

 

[bishop]

Says much about you, you are just a handle.

I do not know what you see, but I just see a bird.

If he tortured the bird before killing it then I would be outraged, otherwise he is just doing his job.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Not likely to be an Onion piece.
The conservationist website "Audubon" posted an essay from the scientist justifying his reasons for collecting the bird after he was heavily criticized.

https://www.audubon.org/news/why-i-collected-moustached-kingfisher

 

[Titalian]

Not likely to be an Onion piece.
The conservationist website "Audubon" posted an essay from the scientist justifying his reasons for collecting the bird after he was heavily criticized.

https://www.audubon.org/news/why-i-collected-moustached-kingfisher

From Tom, and I agree.

I'm sorry, I read this justification and it just brings to mind Shakespeare: "methinks thou doth protest too much.
" It all seems like justification for a poorly thought through decision process. The crux of the justification is that
"we think this bird is not as rare as everyone else does." It is listed on the IUCN red list as endangered and the population is estimated
as less than 1500, maybe much less, based on best available knowledge at this time. Yet based purely on anecdotal information
and very tentative field work these researchers have come to the conclusion that the forests are in fact full of these birds.
Kind of like listening to tales of indigenous people in the Himalayas and deducing that there are hundreds of yetis wandering the mountains.
It is best to err on the side of caution, something that was not done here. Until valid field studies have in fact confirmed that the population is large,
viable and sustainable, collecting what may still turn out to be a rare individual, perhaps crucial to the survival of the species, is inexcusable.
This whole affair smells of imperious attitudes to contravene what should have been a more cautious and passive approach.
If the population does at some point prove to be as numerous as put forth here, then collect a specimen. Until then use some common sense.
If nothing else this premature killing of a rare bird gives a black eye to ornithological research.

 

[Frankfooter]

I read an interview where he said he detected a healthy population of this bird previously thought extinct.
He thought the population could survive the loss of one.

Its pretty sad and scary that the last of a species isn't that uncommon to us anymore.
Sixth great extinction.....

 

[Titalian]

I read an interview where he said he detected a healthy population of this bird previously thought extinct.
He thought the population could survive the loss of one.

Its pretty sad and scary that the last of a species isn't that uncommon to us anymore.
Sixth great extinction.....

I hope you realize, that if we don't get our shit together, we're in line for that.

 

[Frankfooter]

I hope you realize, that if we don't get our shit together, we're in line for that.

No, we are not in line for it, we are experiencing it.
google it.
'sixth great extinction'

 

[IM469]

If he tortured the bird before killing it then I would be outraged, otherwise he is just doing his job.

His job (intent) is to protect an extremely rare species so he kills the first one seen in 50 years. He could photograph and have a model made up but instead he kills it to save it.

Of course it has never occurred to him that a bird thought to be extinct and so rare would be a great addition to his collection. His motivation is pure selflessness.

 

[Frankfooter]

His job (intent) is to protect an extremely rare species so he kills the first one seen in 50 years. He could photograph and have a model made up but instead he kills it to save it.

Of course it has never occurred to him that a bird thought to be extinct and so rare would be a great addition to his collection. His motivation is pure selflessness.

You think he did it for his 'personal collection'?

 

[FAST]

You think he did it for his 'personal collection'?

And the UNEMPLOYABLE's strike again,...!!!

FAST

 

[Ceiling Cat]

The dentist that killed Cecil the lion might not be extradited to face charges, but he fucked up his career. Just like no one will hire this bird killer
even if they wanted to.