Departure of Orange County’s Outspoken Wildlife Biologist

It is very unfortunate that Esther Burkett, Orange County’s state wildlife biologist for the California Department of Fish and Game, left her position in Orange County to accept a promotion in Sacramento (“A Rare Breed--The Outspoken Wildlife Biologist--Vanishes,” March 11).

Burkett’s leaving will cause a temporary vacancy in the position of state wildlife biologist in Orange County. Such a vacancy will cause irreparable damage to wildlife and resources when up to 150 road and housing projects per month will be approved without much review. Orange County, the county with the highest rate of growth in all of California, cannot afford to experience even a temporary absence of a state wildlife biologist.

Burkett stated that she didn’t feel the top officials in the Fish and Game Department were concerned with the problems in Orange County and yielded to developers more often than they should have. The fact that Burkett met with a lot of resistance from the Fish and Game Department shows that the state agency is in need of major revisions. It is outrageous that the top officials in the Fish and Game Department conceded to legislators and the governor without considering the possible biological consequences.

Obviously, biology, not politics, should play the biggest role in decisions concerning wildlife and their habitats. Wildlife habitats in Orange County are being destroyed at an alarming rate and cannot be replaced.

Unless more emphasis is placed on preserving our resources and wildlife, they may soon be destroyed permanently.

AMY SWALLOWS, San Juan Capistrano