Allikas: Vikipeedia
Selgub, et Richard Branson on uus idee; säästa Katta (Leemur Catta) kõrval importides need oma erasektori Briti Neitsisaarele. Kuna artikkel juhib tähelepanu Branson kulutatud miljoneid kroone ja aastaid pingutusi, et muuta saarele sisse “maailma kõige ökoloogiliselt sõbralikum saar”. Kuid näib, et hr Branson on otsustanud loodusteadustest loobuda ja kirjutada see PR-sõbralikumalt ümber. Sisse tulevad leemurid hoolimata tema enda ökoloogilise hinnangu hoiatustest, sest ta tahab “…teise saare elupaiga loomiseks ja Moskito tingimused on ideaalsed.” Võib-olla on Bransonil veider maailmasõnastik, kus on sõna täiuslik määratlus “midagi originaalist täiesti erinevat”.
OK kindlasti, alguses kõlab see idee hea ideena – leemurid on ohustatud, miks mitte proovida anda neile teine metsik pelgupaik? Hästi, Dr James Lazell looduskaitseagentuurist on olnud 31 aasta kogemust Neitsisaartel ja on sellele tähelepanu juhtinud “Leemurid on agarad, osav, agressiivne, kõigesööjad loomad, kellel võib olla kahjulik mõju nendele lihtsatele saareökoloogiatele. Nad söövad absoluutselt kõike – sisalikke, puuvilju, juured, putukate, linnud’ munad.” Oh aga ära muretse, midagi hullu ei saa juhtuda, kui tutvustate saart primaatidele (sissetoodud primaadid laastavad Florida Key). Branson teab, et leemurid teevad seda ainult “võta veider geko” (nagu haruldane endeemiline kääbusgeko Sphaerodactylus partenopion), rääkimata sellest, et nad ei levi pärast seda tõenäoliselt teistele saartele “vihkan ujumist” (ringsabaga leemuri ujumine).
Miks siis rõngassaba? Mitte sellepärast, et see on kõige ohustatum (on palju teistest rohkem ohustatud leemureid), vaid sellepärast, et see on kõige ikoonilisem. Just see ajab mind selle naeruväärse ideega seoses püsti. Ta mitte ainult ei too naiivselt võimalikku invasiivset liiki saare tundlikku elupaika – vaid sellepärast, et ta levitab alalhoiu valesõnumit. Nagu aeglane laps, on Branson tormanud rõngassaba poole, et seda päästa, jättes samas täielikult puudu kogu looduskaitse ideest. Rõngassaba on lipulaev, mis juhib tähelepanu Madagaskaril toimuvale hävingule. Üks armas kaisuloom, kes esindab oma kodumaa vapustavalt ainulaadseid ja mitmekesiseid elupaiku. Aga mitte siis, kui Richard Bransonil on selle kohta midagi öelda. Milleks vaevata Madagaskari kaitsmisega, kui saate sisse hüpata ja luua uue kodu primaadile, keda kõik armastavad? Puhh, kriis ära hoitud. Richard askeldab, kui Madagaskar põleb.
Ma kahtlustan, et see imelik saare loomaaed maskeerub lihtsalt looduskaitsealaks ja selle tegelik stiimul on kommerts. Järgmise paari aasta jooksul on neid käputäis “luksus, saarele ehitatud süsinikuneutraalsed majad”. Päris geniaalne skeem, et ergutada kodude ostmist, millest igaüks maksab kahtlemata kümneid miljoneid dollareid – ja võite teeselda, et tunnete end maailma kaitsmisel hästi. Lõppude lõpuks puudub Neitsisaartel karismaatiline elusloodus; loodus teeb miljardäride imedemaa loomisel kindlasti kohutavat tööd. Mis saare kõrvale tuleb?
Võib olla… lihtsalt võib-olla… Bransonil on dr. Moreau kolib esimesena sisse.
I have heard similar ideas uttered as potentially good conservation efforts by professional primatologists, in full seriousness. Do you think there is a (negative) correlation between understanding of the environment and the charisma of one’s study organisms?
Not at all. There are lots of fantastic scientists who work on very charismatic species. The only downside is you get people who know nothing about them messing things up (like butterflies!). I think Branson is misguided here – he is going against the scientific advice in this particular instance. It just rings more of media stunt than honest conservation effort (they are even neutering all of the lemurs!)
Personally I don’t see the point of conserving a species if the native habitat is gone. If we can’t restore the habitat in the first place then why screw up another habitat just to protect the first species? Thats what zoos are for…
Tõsiselt? How is there any conservation value if they will all be neutered? Sounds like he just wants his own private lemur island. And I thought John Varty was ridiculous for trying to establish a bengal tiger population in South Africa. At least that plan is just likely to fail and be a waste of money rather than possibly introduce a species that would cause drastic ecological problems… Sigh
You’re dealing with someone who operates inside a powerful reality-distortion field. This is a man who consumed vast amounts of energy and resources to carve a mansion into an island ecosystem, which he flies his private jet to visit, all while calling it “ecologically friendly.” Clearly, science and logic do not apply to Sir Richard.
It’s not so much the idea that is bad, but the how of it (but no one seems definitely sure of what his actual plans are, and in truth, they probably morph on a daily basis at this “pre-rendezvous” point). I think his initial idea was that he was going to release 3 species of lemurs: ringtails (which are tough, and generally hardy, and will eat pretty much anything, they don’t get sick as easily as other species); red-ruffed lemurs (finicky, and have done so-so in captivity, and in some places they have actually died prematurely; and sifakas (which are extremely hard to manage in captivity, they are fragile and die easily in captivity — sifakas are definitely a terrible idea). His idea was just to release them on the islands and let them have free reign of the islands. That’s all well and good for them (or not, depending), but what about the endemic biota? There are several species of endangered lizards and geckos on the island, and the ringtails will eat those up, for sure. True, lots of people have lemurs as pets (now that’s a really terrible idea, for many reasons), and in some ways this is no different than that.
But we are talking about letting a whole bunch of these “pets” run free all over one or two islands. True, lemurs cannot swim (the photos of a ringtail swimming show him right next to land) so they won’t be going over to other islands; that’s almost certainly not an issue. But Branson has a responsibility to take extremely good care of these animals, especially if they are left to run free all over the island (which everyone who knows these animals thinks is a very bad plan.) They need to have a crew of vets on site 24/7 to monitor the animals and make sure they are well cared for, not sick, getting enough to eat, jne. Maybe even have a research team of people who are working on PhDs in primatology to follow the groups of lemurs and report on them. If poorly executed, Branson’s plan could doom many of the lemurs to deaths that could have been prevented. There is no data to show whether or not there are new pathogens that they will be exposed to that will be harmful for them — or the possibiity they may bring other pathogens into the islands. If Branson is dead-set on the plan, the best way would be to build large enclosures for the animals, and provide adequate (and costly vet care), and make all the colony or colonies are well-monitored.
Every single person I’ve spoken to (in a well-connected network of lemur specialists & conservationists) has said, in effect, “why on earth doesn’t he use his billions to help out poor old Madagascar so that the lemurs can stay there?” That’s a very good question. Perhaps he should do some of both — provide for some lemurs on this island AND help the reserves in Madagascar where the lemurs are under fire. There are lots of ways he could do this, and Madagascar definitely needs the help.
I hadn’t heard that they are neutering the lemurs in question … that doesn’t make any sense to me, as it seems part of the point of this would be to have a breeding, sustainable colony. Teiselt poolt, maybe he only wants to neuter the first batch, and so how “the experiment” works out with hardier adults (no infants.)
Dear Moth,
Could you disagree with someone and not call him an idiot? No doubt Richard has his commercial reasons for being philantrophical but you really dont need to drag yourself into the mud for doubting his sincerity? Why dont you save the lemurs instead? And then not choose to spend your pocket money for global advertising in a hypocritical way?
Thank you for reading this since your time is so precious.
Harry.
Loomulikult, I can respectfully disagree with you. You might be correct, I could be wrong in doubting his sincerity. And if anything that makes him less of an idiot for knowing how to spin the PR on his island zoo of neutered lemurs. But if he is sincere, I suggest that he sticks to the industry he better understands.
And that would be commercial space travel from a poor county in New Mexico.