The Himalayan Snowcock in Nevada

[vacohee]

OK, I've not posted before, but I'd run across something which I felt might be interesting and/or provocative for those on the Ecology forum. This link:

http://leafwarbler.posterous.com/the-re ... an-snow-pa

contains an old (and kind of hokey: I'm old enough to remember films with background music like this, but probably not many here are) video program describing the Nevada Fish and Game Department's successful effort to introduce the Himalayan Snowcock (Tetraogallus himalayensis) into the Ruby Mountains back in the 1950s and 60s.

Now, I would argue that this successful introduction of an exotic species supports the point of view that some introduced species can enhance the human experience in those areas into which they are introduced: think also of the cases of the brown trout, the common pheasant, the Hungarian Partridge. This is not to argue that the more numerous instances of destructive introductions (Common Starlings, the Cane Toad, Zebra Mussel, etc.) are any less catastrophic--nor is it a dimension of the argument for introducing species which are endangered in their indigenous ranges in order to conserve them. It is, however, an assertion that sometimes the introduction of an exotic species can be a good thing for the people in its area of introduction. This argument gains more prominence because of the growing attention being given to biological controls of nuisance species (themselves often introduced). I live in Virginia, and our area is beset with Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs. USDA is testing certain species of exotic parasitoid wasp which control the BMSBs in their native Asian environments. These little wasps would be heartily welcomed by those of us with a BMSB problem, and we also enjoy seeing the occasional pheasant. So, what do you folks think about the issue?

[JorgeLobo]

Good point - and not all current residents of an ecosystem can be interpreted to have been here forever.

I'll add that zebra mussel is not necssarily a problem. In the Great Lakes, it's been credited with reduction of particulate pollution and subsequent increase in fish populations. On the otherside they've reduced populations of "native" mussels and been the source of avian botulism. That it blocks cooling vents for power plants is not an environmental problem per se. You can even see fishing shows targeting the hated snakeheads.