Letter: Letters: Stalking the stork

From CHARLES S. LUTHIN

I was unhappy to read the letter by Philip Jones of Cornwall who voiced
concern over the satellite study of the jabiru stork in the Pantanal of
Brazil (Letters, 25 May). His statement, ‘Discovering where they go will
mean that the area will almost certainly need protection,’ is exactly the
reason this sort of research is undertaken. How can a migratory species
be saved if all its critical seasonal habitats are not also protected?

Mr Jones’s concern, although sincere, is founded not on scientific reasoning
but on a romantic view of how the world should be. In fact there no longer
exist places where humans don’t venture into wild areas, where exotic and
mysterious species (such as the jabiru) have undisturbed refuge from the
misactions of Homo sapiens. Indeed, what in Central and South America is
not put into protected areas by the end of the century will invariably suffer
the fate of much of the region: ecological degradation due to drainage and
deforestation for cattle ranching, agriculture and urban settlements.

The frontier days have passed. We need to approach conservation from
an educated and realistic perspective; good science will be the tool by
which we accomplish this objective.

My hat’s off to the satellite work on the jabiru; may it elucidate the
unknowns that will allow our Brazilian colleagues to protect this magnificent
sentry of the marshes.

Charles S. Luthin Caribbean Conservation Corporation Florida