Federal Government Assaults Animals on Wildlife Refuges

The welfare of America\u27s wildlife and refuges is being sold for economic gain and recreational pleasure to hunters, trappers, and commercial developers. To date, there are 414 refuges composed of over 86 million acres stretching from the Arctic to the Florida Keys and from Maine to American Samoa. Almost all of these refuges have been touched in some way by natural gas exploration, predator control, pesticides, and commercial farming, ranching, and lumber industries. Over one half of all refuges are open to either hunting or trapping...or both. All laws and regulations concerning activities on wildlife refuges stipulate that there must be no conflict with the fundamental principle of the refuges: to preserve, protect, and enhance wildlife in its environment. Now, however, what was once a network of inviolate sanctuaries\u27\u27 is becoming a mere commodity--a federal system of playgrounds where wildlife and the pristine integrity of true refuges are destroyed. For the animals whose territories are invaded, the refuges have now become dens of noise, false security, pain, and death