Cave bugs make the New York Times
The Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle has become the poster bug for the
excesses of the endangered species act. The Sunday New York Times of
June 26 reports "Currently 1,264 species are considered threatened or
endangered. Some, like the bighorn sheep of the Southern California
mountains, have an obvious popular appeal and a constituency, while
others like the Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle in South Texas, are an
acquired taste."
Those that think caves need federal protection need to do more to
convince the powers-that-be that all species are important and that
mold beetles have a constituency. But, if even the New York Times,
hardly a supporter of the current administration, thinks that mold
beetles are an "acquired taste," cavers and others that support the
protection of cave fauna will likely loose the struggle to have cave
life protected through the Endangered Species Act.
As reported in the same article, the legality of cave species
protection was recently affirmed. "This month, the Supreme Court
refused to hear a case challenging enforcement of the law, in a
dispute involving six endangered species of small insects that live
in caves in Texas, including the Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle.
Developers said the property would be worth $60 million if
development was not limited by the Endangered Species Act." However,
this will be small comfort if the there is no public support for cave
protection.
However cavers feel about the involvement of caves in the Endangered
Species Act, it cannot be good for Texas caves that a Texas cave
species is the symbol of the excesses of the Endangered Species Act.
Bill Russell
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Katherine Arens
[email protected]
Dept. of Germanic Studies
E.P. Schoch 3.102 / Campus MC C3300
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX 78712
Office Phone & Messages: (512) 232-6363
Dept. Phone: (512)471-4123
FAX (512) 471-4025
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