tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302290291148979452.post10304401002337325..comments2024-03-22T03:28:39.130-04:00Comments on The Narwhal's Left Tooth: Challenge dropped in tusk export banTodd McLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14229617634370759921noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302290291148979452.post-69068326681422418292011-06-23T08:53:54.734-04:002011-06-23T08:53:54.734-04:00Sounds like your observation in Indonesia mirrors ...Sounds like your observation in Indonesia mirrors mine in the Arctic. And you're right that things get tricky when subsistence hunting becomes profitable. I know the hunters have bills to pay and need to earn money, but it shouldn't be at the expense of the animal populations.Todd McLeishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14229617634370759921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302290291148979452.post-76338876720074668452011-06-23T08:38:30.514-04:002011-06-23T08:38:30.514-04:00Interesting read, I hadn't thought about evolu...Interesting read, I hadn't thought about evolutionary effects of something like this, but if having the biggest tusk means you get killed, then no doubt there will be some big community disruptions in Canadian narwhal populations.<br />I too have no problem with subsistence hunting, and this problem reminds me of something I saw in the Wakatobi in Indonesia. Many of the local villages and tribes that fish the coral reefs do so to feed their families, it's the only source of protein they have. But there are growing numbers of people that sell their fish live for either the aquarium trade, or to fancy restaurants elsewhere in Asia where the fish are presented in a tank for customers to choose. The locals can get a lot of money for doing this, and it encourages them to take out more than they really need to. Of course, removing the fish damages the reef, which in turn kills off the fish population and everything else with it. It's when it morphs from subsistence to profit that things become tricky. I suppose in someway we have no right to tell people they can't make a living, but at the same time they're only hurting themselves in the long run. I hope they can sort out this problem, and I think at least a temporary ban would be warranted to allow the narwhal population time to recover.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com