II4 PROBLEMS IN WILD LIFE CONSERVATION 



senting the arms and ammunition makers, charges such a 

 statement of the situation is pure poppycock and demands 

 that hunting restrictions be relaxed. Then, there is the 

 pressure group representing the commercial fur interests 

 who, although divided sometimes as to proper length of 

 trapping seasons, are united in demanding that the Survey 

 aid them in research regarding fur animals. 



Should the writer's definition of conservation 53 be ac- 

 cepted, there is nothing inherently wrong in undertaking 

 control measures against some forms of wild life provided 

 it can be proved that the human activities with which they 

 conflict are far more valuable to society. In the past when- 

 ever it could be shown that some species of wild life were 

 interfering with man's activities, it seems to have been 

 assumed that control measures were justified. So long as 

 the Biological Survey remains in the Department of Agri- 

 culture, such assumption will continue to be the basis of its 

 policies. 



It cannot escape the attention of an impartial observer 

 that the Survey as a conservation agency should be more 

 actively engaged in research and experimentation relative to 

 the raising of animals in captivity. True, some work is 

 being carried on in this field but it is far too limited in pro- 

 portion to the total activity of the Survey. The present 

 commercial value of fur animals and the future possibilities 

 of the industry demand that greater attention be given to 

 this field. 



Is it to be wondered that in all this welter of conflicting 

 views the Survey sometimes loses sight of its chief objec- 

 tive, conservation of wild life as a national resource. Con- 

 servation implies a balance between present use and future 

 use; it implies an increase in quantity unless such increase 

 can be shown contrary to social needs. The greatest prob- 

 lem before the Survey today is the adoption of such policies 

 as will achieve this balance. 

 53 See page 12. 



