West County Issue Animal Rights :...

Kate E. R. Faulkner, Chief of resources management, Channel Islands National Park

The pigs endanger the unique native communities on Santa Rosa Island. Now is the perfect time to remove the pigs because the drought has reduced pig numbers considerably. We currently estimate that 500 or fewer pigs remain. The eradication will go a long way toward restoration of the special ecosystems and toward preservation of the archeological sites. Over a thousand Chumash Indians used to live on the island. Our archeologist has noted pig damage to over 90% of the sites, including villages and caves. It has been suggested the remaining pigs might be fenced off, but then what would we do? Let them starve? That is so cruel. People come up with weird ideas and professionals who deal with this just roll their eyes because they know what methods work. You can get extremely close to the animal from a helicopter and it is not difficult to tell if the animal is dead.

Melissa O’Brien, Wildlife coordinator, Concerned People for Animals

Last month, I went on a press trip to the island so I got to see firsthand the so-called damage. I was amazed it was so minimal! My little dog does more damage in half an hour than the pigs have done since the 1800s. I really don’t know what the big deal is. I see more damage done to this planet every day by humans. The majority of vegetation was still intact. And what about the damage from cattle ranching? I think they’re doing it for greed. Most forms of animal and human abuse go down to the dollar. They want to start bringing in campers and hikers. And people have to pay a big price to get to the island, so that brings in more money. The pigs didn’t ask to be brought over here. They have a right to exist. Because they’re so intelligent, they’ve figured out what is going on. They hide and feed at night. We’re not the only species on Earth, we just act like it.

Fran Carter, Development director, Friends of Channel Islands National Park

I do think they should be killed. I have seen some of the damage they’ve done on the island. I’ve seen trees virtually destroyed, particularly island oaks. They root around the roots for the acorns. They’re doing inestimable damage, not only to all kinds of plants, but also they damage the terrain. They make furrows where rain swooshes down and washes away some of the soil, particularly around the roots of the trees. They also have a pseudo-rabies that makes them totally unable to be brought onto the mainland. They are simply a species that was brought onto the islands. They’re not native and therefore they should be exterminated to protect the foliage, the native plants and the soil. I think they could be dangerous to people if they became frightened or cornered, but they’re not aggressive and they would tend to try to get away rather than attack.

Karen M. Stratton, Animal-rights activist

The main reason that they’re slaughtering the pigs is for the plants that are indigenous to the island. They’re just slaughtering a thousand pigs or thereabouts for four plants that I feel could be fenced off or maybe transported to another island to let them grow wild. I don’t think the pigs should be killed for four plants. They’re doing “shooting and let lie” from a helicopter which means if a pig falls it is considered dead. In some cases they’re not dead but wounded and left suffering for days. How can you say they’re dead from a helicopter? How do you know that? I don’t understand how they can be sure. They’re also baiting pigs into cages and shooting them there. They’re pigs, but they’re also living creatures. They should fence off the plants and not kill these sentient beings. There is no excuse for this. It is barbaric and prehistoric!

Alan Coles, Environmentalist

The island habitat must be preserved. The killing of animals is an undesirable way, but if all other ways are not feasible, then that’s probably the only method left. Then I would support it. If the animal-rights people wish to trap the pigs and turn them into pets, I would have no objections to that. Santa Rosa Island, like most of the Channel Islands, contains unique plants and vegetation-- biological material that’s found nowhere else on the planet. When that unique material is gone, it is gone forever. A lot of good things besides beauty and the environment are served by the plant life. It contributes to biological research, cancer research and medicines. Once we lose the genes from those plants, we can’t ever produce that genetic material again. We humans can use and derive various products by cross-breeding, but we cannot create genetic materials.