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Re: species maintenance database
Well said, Gary. You raise good points, and ones that we need to address
in the AKA as we try to decide the direction this group should go for
the next century.
KI>I think we need to address the habitat issue, and stay within our means.
Habitat will always be a concern as long as the human population is at
this level, or worse still, grows further. It will also be a concern as
long as we continue on the American model of consumerism.
KI>For endangered species, we can become temporary private zoos if we want,
KI>but that's no long term solution. And we can't save the killies of
KI>Africa from here. We should, however, be working with conservation
KI>groups here, to preserve habitat. Someday, I can see an alliance with
KI>the AKA, groups like NANFA (the North American native Fishes
KI>Association) and other, broader groups communicating our appreciation
KI>of these animals and their habitats to the general public.
YES! I think that one of the keys to any conservation effort (habitat or
otherwise) is education of "the average guy on the street." Another is
networking with other groups--there really is power in numbers.
KI>In the meantime, I think we have to clarify this debate. Maintaining
KI>species for an aquarium hobby, and maintaining species in their viable
KI>habitats are different projects. Are we making arks, or maintaining
KI>aquarium populations? That's we have to discuss, as we define how we are
KI>going to do these things. I think that lack of focus in our debate is
KI>why a lot of AKA maintenance initiatives have petered out.
And I wonder if there is any way to both maintain species for the hobby
AND maintain them in their habitats?? I think there might be, but it
would take a major paradigm shift of many, many people and
organizations.
You're right, the debate has been unfocused, but I find the simple fact
that there is dialogue at all about this topic encouraging. If nothing
else, it might make a few people think about what our goals should be,
and maybe get them interested in working on the committees, or changing
or supplementing the existing goals. I feel strongly that there is
always hope for change and improvement as long as there is thoughtful
dialogue (and this topic has contained some of the best I have seen on
this list).
Catherine
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