April 2010 President message
Re-establishing our connection with nature
In late February, representatives from SSAA National attended an RSPCA scientific seminar in Canberra. After discussing the day’s events, I identified a few topics that I felt I should share with you. A more detailed summary of this seminar will be found in an upcoming edition of the Australian Shooter.
I was told that many presenters discussing issues such as camel, kangaroo and feral cat management referred to shooting as an appropriate and humane management tool. Speakers regularly indicated that shooting had the lowest welfare impact when compared with other methods. It was certainly good to hear that the science community supported shooting as a humane option.
There were animal rights groups attending this seminar that didn’t like hearing this though. These groups only like to deal with ideology, emotion and myths. They also didn’t like hearing that fertility control or sterilisation was assessed to be unrealistic and unworkable. Speaker after speaker concluded that this option was simply not viable.
The animal rights groups also didn’t like hearing that their wildlife relocation option can itself be a problem and cause animal welfare issues. Animal rights groups frequently call for relocation instead of culling wildlife populations. The seminar heard that kangaroos can fall victim to the stress-induced muscle disease ‘capture myopathy’, which causes pain and suffering and leads to death.
It’s important to note that shooting was constantly referred to as a humane option. One speaker made the point that because shooting may be aesthetically displeasing (the sight of blood may offend some), this by no means makes it cruel or inhumane.
One presenter referred to the terms ‘environmental generational amnesia’ and ‘extinction of experience’. What was most interesting about these terms was that they clearly demonstrated the loss of connection to nature that we clearly see in modern-day society. ‘Environmental generational amnesia’ is probably best explained by people losing touch with the natural environment as the years pass, slowly diminishing their perception of true nature. This detachment has occurred through the generations as a direct result of people shifting from rural-type living to city-based living. In the past, nature was viewed as a resource, whereas today, it’s beginning to be seen as a distant, untouchable wilderness utopia that humans shouldn’t interfere with.
‘Extinction of experience’ relates to the lack of interaction with nature. This has led to the majority of urban-based children developing perceptions of nature based on virtual representations and expectations, rather than real-world experiences. Their perceptions are based on what they can see in their backyard, the local park or on television.
Our recreational pursuits such as hunting, camping and fishing allow us to spend time being part of nature. To prevent conflict based on perceptions, we must take every opportunity to invite someone new out to a camp or to fish or hunt. Those who are ideologically against our recreational pursuits use Australia’s growing detachment from nature to their advantage. By teaching people to be part of nature and experiencing its complex interactions, we can reduce conflict and do our bit to re-establish the community’s connections with nature.
Bob Green
SSAA National President
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