Posted by:
Carlton
at Wed Jan 3 15:07:03 2007 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Carlton ]
One other opinion I have about the Hawaiian jax. This is controversial and has been hashed on other cham forums, but is worth thinking about. I like jax a lot, and all chams in general, but I don't think introducing exotic species to new habitats is ever a good idea. When the species evolves in place along with the system that's fine. Part of any species' beauty is the fact that it is an expression of successful evolution and "design". Hawaii's native wildlife is being bombarded with exotic threats...from diseases like malaria to parasites, predators, competitors, and things that simply destroy the habitats directly like pigs and goats. Avian malaria has decimated the islands' native birds, and malaria was introduced by exotic mosquitos and spread from those mosquitos' breeding and blood meals on the exotic critters they bit. Many of the islands' endangered species are insects, and to introduce a predator that uses an entirely unique hunting technique does have an impact. Many of the native insects are also the only pollinators of some of the islands' most amazing endemic plants...which are now also endangered once their pollinators disappear. If someone wants to keep jax confined to a particular area or cages I don't have a problem with it, but to simply release a species without considering the impact is irresponsible and cruel to both the creature released as well as the native wildlife.
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