18 Feb 2001 AUSTRALIA:
Species' fate in hands of public.
THYLACINE expert and author Bob Paddle believes the fate of wildlife and environment is in the hands of scientists and the public. "One small ray of hope may be found in the history of the extinction of the thylacine and similar species: the first casualty is always truth," he writes in his recently released book, The Last Tasmanian Tiger.
"The frequency with which those individuals hell-bent on environmental destruction for personal economic gain have been forced to lie blatantly in public about the behaviour and population numbers of their scapegoated species suggests their fear of the truth and the possibility that scientists may still be able to capture popular opinion."
The Melbourne-based researcher believes scientists were in a position to save the thylacine from extinction last century. Dr Paddle said political and economic forces worked against science.
"It is questionable whether, granted a knowledge of the extinction of the thylacine, Australian zoologists and comparative psychologists are any better equipped to deal with conservative political beliefs and aggressive economic rationalism today," he said.
Source: SUNDAY TASMANIAN 18/02/2001 P9