ZEBRA SHOOTING SPURS ANGER
CBS Photo-Zebras on Hearst Ranch
The shooting of three stray Hearst Ranch Zebras by a neighboring rancher has provoked a cloud of bitterness that has settled over the cattle country of the Santa Lucia range.
I've been fascinated by the story, first that it even happened. Now the reaction stirs images of an old cowboy movie where contesting ranchers square off in a saloon. Today most of the jawboning is done by blog posts. Here's a sampling from the Pelican Network.
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"...after shooting the animals, he took them to a
taxidermist to have their hides tanned..."
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"If an elephant showed up, they'd kill it
and hang the head over their mantle."
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"Unless it has a $ branded on it, it is worthless in
their microscopic view. These fools won't be satisfied until
every animal that can't be eaten, skinned and laid on their
floors as rugs or their heads cut off and hung on their walls
is destroyed. Little, little men in every sense of the word."
------------------------------------------------- I grew up on a ranch in Eastern Washington. No excuses for this behavior. His livestock being at risk is just an excuse to shoot rare, valuable animals. His livestock were never in any serious danger.
Southern California views the Zebra killing controversy--------------------------------------------------Isn't there anything we or the owner of the zebras can do other than rant privately in this forum about the shooter? I'd like to see him at least publicly embarrassed or chastised for what he did.
Publicly.
--------------------------------------------------The story has also drawn the interest of the LA Times.
The ranchers I've met tend to be direct and plain spoken. Those are admirable qualities and they have been in evidence on this matter. Stay tuned. The sun has not set on this feud.
I wonder how Zebras can threaten live stock. Do they carry a disease or what. Sad story.
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