Letter to the Editor
Whitehorse Star and Yukon News
RE:Porcupine Caribou - Let them be
Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 14:46:06 +0000

Caribou, like all wildlife play an integral role in maintaining the health and integrity of a variety of native ecosystems (inherent right).

They are not a resource just to be exploited. They too, have a "right" to live "their" own lives without human interference.

In this day and age, most (if not all of us) do not need to kill animals in order to survive. Let alone destroy them for recreation! What century are we in?

So if the Caribou are in serious decline, why allow them to be slaughtered in the first place? Wouldn't killing without necessity be morally wrong? Let alone waging war against these animals who are doing what they have done for thousands of years.

All this talk about wounded loss (this is a tragedy in itself). It is shocking to know this still goes on. When will you so called "conservation-minded","ethical hunters", and all interested parties address this atrocity?

Words like "respect" don't mean anything if not applied.

It is easy to destroy the lives of animals, we know this.And would it not be respectful and intelligent to focus our power in protecting them and "their" habitat?

We do not have the "right" to exploit the natural world, we have done enough damage to this planet.

Time will certainly tell weather or not we continue to "abuse" our obligation.

Let them be.

Mike Grieco
Whitehorse
YT