Reactions Varied to Killing of Sheep

* Re: “Volunteers to Kill Sheep as Last Resort,” Feb. 22.

It appears to me that The Nature Conservancy is trying to do something that should have been done years ago--that is, restore the natural environment of Santa Cruz Island as it existed before the sailing vessels began their exploration up and down the West Coast of North America.

I would say that it is long overdue to eliminate the feral animals from the island. It would be best to mount an intense and short roundup to capture what you can. Kill the remainder; not by poisoning, but by shooting them. While you are at it, one had better eliminate the feral pigs.

If there are any anti-hunters out there who disagree with this, so be it, but they should see, firsthand, the problem and what is needed. It might also be enlightening to talk with the conservation people in New Zealand who have extensive knowledge of trying to deal with environmental problems introduced by man when an entire country has been planted with nonnative animals and there are no natural predators.

Finally, if you want to preserve a small piece of recent history, leave the sheep and cull a few every year. If you want to return it to its natural state, then eliminate the sheep and pigs.

A. MICHAEL PARDUE, M.D.

Thousand Oaks

* I am outraged that The Nature Conservancy, an organization which I have supported for many years, shot sheep on Santa Cruz Island. An eyewitness report stated that some ewes were shot leaving nursing babies, and that some sheep limped away--the exterminators weren’t even good shots.

Why cannot contraceptive medication be laced in the sheep’s food thus causing the herds to eventually die out naturally? Shooting is completely unacceptable.

The Nature Conservancy will never get another dime from me and I hope all other contributors will do the same.

MELANIE HOLMES

Newbury Park