Fifty-five years
ago when I was searching for the best University wildlife biology School I
could afford, Cornel’ was right near the top of high quality education schools
and right near the bottom (actually not even on the list) of the list of
schools I could afford. I chose Utah State University and have never regretted
that decision for a moment. Thank you, Utah, for making that school available
for me in those years. But back to Cornell.
Over the years, I
met numerous Cornell graduates and found them to generally (I know I am
stereotyping here) exude attitudes of superiority commonly seen in many Harvard
and MIT graduates I have met.
During the 1980’s
and 1990’s, Cornell research and notoriety in the wildlife area steadily
mimicked the U of Wisconsin and Berkley publications and reports touting
environmental extremism and animal rights nonsense. By the time of my
retirement I no longer gave Cornell any thought other than to dismiss what they
published or reports about what they were doing.
In 2005, five years
after my retirement, I once again encountered Cornell and was astonished at how
“far off the tracks” their snobbery and integration with federal bureaucrats
had taken them. It seems the USFWS had obtained a “secret” fund of millions of
dollars from Congress to “find and document” remaining Ivory-billed Woodpeckers
that had recently been seen by “reliable” Southern birdwatchers. It was
“secret” (oh how bureaucrats and politicians love such harmless intrigue as
they seek to perfect our world in spite of our ignorance and stubbornness)
because there was a chance that some ignorant redneck might find and destroy
the “last” Ivory-billed Woodpecker (they are still extinct for over 75 years as
I write) before federal protection and force could “save” them. Cornell was
part of the (publicly-funded but ”secret”) “search and save” expeditions all
over the South where their guesses as to where these “ancient” birds that
“looked like pintails” (take note Southern woodland duck hunters) as they flew
through southern swamps might find suitable habitat for planned federal
woodpecker enhancements. Land was bought, land was eased and wooded wetland
owners from N. Carolina and Florida to E. Texas were warned that they might one
day harbor federally-designated Critical Habitat (yikes) for a bird once
thought to be extinct!
When I wrote about
this lunacy (if no hunter, trapper, farmer, or rural resident had seen or
reported a “giant” woodpecker in 60+ years, the likelihood of federal
bureaucrats or Cornell worthies finding even one were nil) I happened to
mention how old-timers said the best habitat and draw for those big woodpeckers
was a stand of trees purposely girdled and dying as swamps were being cleared
for drainage and eventual farming. These trees were infested with insects in
and under the bark (thereby drawing in lots of all sorts of woodpeckers from
far and wide). I suggested (tongue-in-cheek) they try this old trick to see if
there were any Ivory-bills in the neighborhood.
What I got in
return from an Ivory-billed Woodpecker “Team Leader” who if memory serves was
some sort of Cornell Grad student or Assistant Wildlife Professor was one of
the nastier e-mails I ever received and that is saying something. The one “academic
and scientific” comment I remember to this day from this person was something
to the effect that if I “and my pig-farmer buddies” (oooohhh!) wanted to ruin
the world he and science would stop us.
It has been 9 years
since that little contretemps with Cornell. This morning, the following news
report (below) about Cornell, their campus and deer crossed my desk. Read it
and enjoy the humor but consider the sadness of a once great wildlife school
and how far it has fallen. It is as if an award winning actor like Laurence
Olivier had taken to drink and late one Saturday night years later you turn on
the TV and there he is stumbling through a Saturday Night Live skit mumbling
his lines to the great amusement of the audience.
Cornell displays
the fruits of environmental extremism and animal rights radicalism, and where
they lead those that fall for their false values and agenda.
If you found this
worthwhile, please share it with others. Thanks.
Jim Beers is a
retired US Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife Biologist, Special Agent,
Refuge Manager, Wetlands Biologist, and Congressional Fellow. He was stationed
in North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York City, and Washington DC. He also
served as a US Navy Line Officer in the western Pacific and on Adak, Alaska in
the Aleutian Islands. He has worked for the Utah Fish & Game, Minneapolis
Police Department, and as a Security Supervisor in Washington, DC. He testified
three times before Congress; twice regarding the theft by the US Fish & Wildlife
Service of $45 to 60 Million from State fish and wildlife funds and once in
opposition to expanding Federal Invasive Species authority. He resides in
Eagan, Minnesota with his wife of many decades.
Jim Beers is
available to speak or for consulting. You can receive future articles by
sending a request with your e-mail address to: jimbeers7@comcast.net
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