503 



You have testified in behalf of the TennesBee walkii^ borses and 



Toa have been mstrnmental in f ommig legisisfian pertaining to the 

 rr^tment of laboratory animals. Yoa are a znarv^lGQS person, and T 

 certainly admire your fine work in behalf of animals. 



Mrs. Stevexs. Thank yoiL 



'Sir. DrsGEUL. Thank yotu Mrs. Stevens. It is always a pleasore to 

 have yoR with us. 



Our next witness is Mr. Daniel A. Poole of the Wildlife Manage- 

 ment Institme. 



We are aware of the fact that you have waited =o long. Mr. Pooie. 



STATHKEHT OP DAHIEL A. POOLE. WILDLIFE KAXA^EMEVT 



nrsnTTTE 



Mr. Poole. Thank you. Mr. Chairman. I think the irizid absorbs 

 what the seat can tolerate and I am not going tn ~ Ve^rt myself to more 

 brilliance even if it is my own. 



Mr. DrsGEix. That will be much appre«:iated. 



^Ir. Poc'LE. The institute is oaie of the older national conservation 

 organizations, and its program has been devoted to the restoraric«i and 

 improved management of renewable natural resources in the public 

 interest since 1911. 



As the committee is aware, two different proposals relating to marine 

 mammals are before it. The first of these is exemplified by H JR. 65.54 

 and many identical introductions : the second. H.R. I'.M^X is by several 

 members, including 5<3me from this committee. 



Before turning to the bUls, I want to make a few brief ohserratioos 

 which have a bearing on the subject under consideration. In reality, 

 these observations apply to any species or animal population. 



The first of these is that in this day of rapicUy expanding human 

 population and the accomp _ ^n and impwdrment of 



natural habitat, plus the mouni-i^i; v^.i^.x.- . ^^ suiting from more people, 

 it is necessary and desirable to deliberately manage some animals 

 stocks. Xormally. all species do not require equal attention at any one 

 time. Identification of species or poptdation segments of species re- 

 quiring priority attention depends on factual information gathered 

 and interpreted by specialists. In the normal course of events, species 

 requiring special attention are those whose habitat requirements are 

 very specific or limited, such as the Kirtland warbler in Michigan; 

 those having commercial value such as the American alligator, sf>otted 

 cats and others : and those likely to be abused because of tradition and 

 economic considerations, such as wolves, coyotes, and birds of prey. 



Another point that must be kept in mind is that man?, j : of a 



wildlife population rims full scale from the outright pr>j_- ^ of 

 taking to controlled harvest. Management decisions, that is. .- ler 

 to prohibit taking or to permit harvest, including the niunber. time, 

 location, and other pertinent details, of necessity, should be based on 

 the judgment of persons qualified by training and experience to 

 evaluate the many biological factors that must be taken into account. 

 It was this judgment factor, for example, that led wildlife authorities 

 to approve the Massachusetts Audubon Society]s request to deliberately 

 kill herring and black-backed gulls on an offshore island of that State. 

 The purpose of the poisoning was to remove gulls so that the island 



fT-TSS o - n - ss 



