Scrub Jays

The east coast of central Florida is the home of the endangered scrub jay. Many private property owners have been hassled and prevented from building their homes on their lots. The argument was that even though no scrub jays were there, some may move in later if houses were prevented from being built.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will intentionally burn 700 acres of scrub habitat in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

	Where is the government's concern over the habitat of the scrub jay?
	Why is the government violating the law by intentionally destroying this habitat?

They want to watch it burn to test the accuracy of a computer simulation for habitat destroying forest fires. The US Fish and Wildlife Service justifies it's actions by saying intentionally burning 700 acres of scrub land in a wildlife refuge during the nesting season will actually help the scrub jay. Obviously their regard for the scrub jay is negligible.

In time there will be enough accidental fires to prove or disprove their computer program.

	If the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ignores the habitat protection laws, are those laws really necessary?
	If the people must follow the law, then what right does the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have intentionally violating the law and destroying protected endangered species habitat in a National wildlife Refuge?

The government should not be above the law.

This page was last updated 07/02/00 01:50 PM