Both Man and Bird and Beast.

I don't like to be a judge-y, stereotyping person. I try to see the good in people. I know that so much of how things seem can be based on situations that we know nothing about. Right now, however, I am passing judgement and stereotyping a certain kind of person like no other. There is no excuse.
Last night, New Year's Eve, I was sitting with my family in our living room awaiting the New Year with admittedly little excitement. It's really just another midnight, especially if you don't have any special plans on a given year. Our local news came on for its half hour stint at 11:00 and included a blurb about something horrible.
The kind of person I mentioned I am judging and stereotyping above is the type of person who would do this:

I don't believe I ever got around to posting photos of the Sandhill Cranes and Whooping Crane outing a few weeks ago with my dad and brother. We went to Jackson County on information that there were thousands and thousands of Sandhill Cranes and one Whooping Crane in a certain part of the county where they often do.  With only about 500 Whooping Cranes even in existence anymore, and an Endangered status, they are much rarer and often travel with their friends the Sandhills.

Standing at the edge of those big farm fields that morning, on the crunchy, frosty grass, in the freezing cold, among the loud cracks of ice on the standing water and the prehistoric-sounding trumpeting of the thousands upon thousands of Sandhill Cranes and the lone, white Whooping Crane, we felt so privileged to be able to see one representative of only 500 of that magnificent species in the world and were in appreciative and loving awe of its, and the Sandhill Cranes', beauty and grace. 

 We have seen Sandhill Cranes every year since I can remember, and even the occasional Whooping Cranes a lot of the years at least, but it didn't lessen the impact of seeing them. I happily reported the details and photos of our sighting to the International Crane Foundation, which studies, tracks and works to protect all cranes and their habitats around the world, and to which I had just applied for an internship with.

Hearing the news report above and reading the details online and in our Sunday paper, however sparse (but what more is there to say?), broke my heart. Before learning the identification number of the shot crane, we knew it could have been the very bird we saw that morning. Upon learning the number, we don't believe it was, but still. 

WHO drives by a field and sees a big, magnificent bird that they have probably never seen before in their life and may never see again and has the urge to grab their gun and shoot it? It doesn't matter if they knew or had any inkling that it is a Federal crime to shoot an Endangered species. It really doesn't even matter if it is an Endangered species.  I am not particularly against hunting in general. I do believe that if you do hunt actual huntable game, you should use the animal to your fullest ability. But don't be so ignorant! Almost all I can keep saying is, "Who does that?!" in disgust. I hope somehow they carry the full weight of what they have done for the rest of their life, like the old man in Rime of the Ancient Mariner who killed the Albatross.

 "Farewell, farewell! but this I tell

 To thee, thou Wedding Guest!

 He prayeth well, who loveth well

 Both man and bird and beast."

The poor bird was reportedly found by a tracker/photographer for the International Whooping Crane Foundation and X-rayed to verify the cause of death was fatal gunshot. Someone drove by, saw a beautiful, white bird, probably among many, many Sandhills, pulled out or came back with their gun, took aim, shot it, and left it lying dead in the field (not that you'd want them to take it).

Some states are starting to legalize hunting of Sandhill Cranes. They are not endangered, but things like this can easily get out of hand. Additionally, with the knowledge that other, some Endangered, bird species like Whooping Cranes travel and migrate with them, it is a horrible, reckless idea! Open up the Sandhills to hunting, and you will undoubtedly see an increase in Whooping Cranes killed, by accident or on purpose.

We need to keep working hard to educate the public on things like this. General ignorance is a huge problem that can at least be tackled, though general apathy and disinterest are much harder to overcome. At the very least, and though it will always be hard in situations like this to determine who the killer is, there need to be stiffer consequences for those bringing harm to and killing threatened and endangered species like the Whooping Crane. We have always cringed when we see rare birds like cranes gathered within sight of roadways, because we know that the type of person who would bring harm to them does exist, and in unfortunately large numbers.

If I reach and grasp to try to take anything positive from learning of this story, it is that once again I am 100% certain I am pursuing the right type of work. As someone in the Interpretive and Environmental Education field, I will at least have the opportunity to spread knowledge and appreciation of nature and the environment to more people in the world, which is entirely essential to any cause. Groups of people can work valiantly toward preserving natural areas and toward protecting species, but somewhere along the line it will become an impossible battle if not enough people--law makers and the public alike--either know or care about the cause and realize its importance and significance. There is a lot of work to do.

And again, my title quote applies.