Future Ecologies FE6.4 - Humane Being
May 12, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Sarah Cox, an investigative journalist, and Sarah Dubois, a professor and animal welfare advocate, tackle the ethical dilemmas of wildlife management. They explore the rivet popper hypothesis, emphasizing biodiversity's critical role in ecosystems. Personal stories highlight the struggles of species like the spotted owl amidst logging threats and cormorant overpopulation. The conversation underscores the importance of compassion in conservation practices, challenging listeners to rethink the value of all life and the implications of lethal intervention in nature.
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Cormorants Threaten Rare Plants
- Cormorants recovering from near-extinction caused a new threat to rare plants on Middle Island.
- Parks Canada started culling cormorants to protect endangered Carolinian forest species on the island.
Northern Spotted Owl Plight
- Northern spotted owls depend exclusively on old-growth forests, now mostly logged.
- Captive breeding attempts struggle while habitat destruction continues, threatening species survival.
Protect Marginal Populations for Climate
- Species protection can be crucial at the edge of their range due to climate change.
- Protecting northernmost populations aids species' northward shift in warming climates.