10,000 Birds

JULY 23, 2014

There are the endemics, which are odd in their own way, and then there introduced species, which are so varied in their type and origin that you get the feeling you’ve arrived at the aftermath of a small zoo that escaped. Rabbits are still an agricultural pest. In many ways, that is exactly what happened.

New Zealand 161

New Zealand Possums Rabbits Ferrets 161

10,000 Birds

JULY 27, 2012

Just before Thanksgiving, 2010, a driver spotted a Red-tailed hawk sitting on a dead rabbit in the middle of the road. She wasn’t about to leave her rabbit, and the driver figured something was wrong, so he picked her up. The naturalist got out of his car, picked her up, took the tape off her legs, and took her to a local zoo.

Rabbits 232

Rabbits New Jersey Neglecting North America 232

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2011

In the Far East they keep birds of prey which they use to capture other animals such as foxes and rabbits. The quail, guans, ducks and pheasant are hunted for their meat. Many birds around the world in the Robin family ( Turdidae ) are favorites due to their musical songs. Little boys kill thousands of birds each year with slingshots.

Honduras 186

Honduras illegal Parrots Birds 186

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2012

One of the first examples I ever encountered was in the books of Gerald Durrell, the famous conservationist who was an early pioneer of the roles of zoos in conservation. He often defended that role in his books from animal rights activists who opposed “imprisoning” animals in zoos even if it saved them from extinction.

Animal Rights 259

Animal Rights Rights New Zealand Animal 259