The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker – To Save Or Not To Save?

It was back in late 2003 or early 2004 when I first heard about the possibilities that scientists had rediscovered the existence of the ivory-billed woodpecker deep in the swamps of Arkansas. As a matter of fact, it was so long ago, by cyberspace standards, that the blog I did about it was on my first blog of which I never transfered the stories over to this format – regrettable.

Ever since the claim was made that one of these thought to be extinct woodpeckers was still alive, there has been continual disagreement as to whether it was really seen. After all, it wasn’t like they caught it and put it in a cage. The claiming of rediscovery, if my memory serves me correctly, was a quick snapshot/video of a fleeing bird and some audio sounds that some scientist disputed as being of some other species. At Ivorybill.org, you can read “the story” of the rediscovery.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has formulated a “Draft Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Recovery Plan” that is estimated to cost the taxpayers $27 million. Go to this link and you can download a pdf file of the plan and get information on how to comment on the proposal.

According to an article today in the Memphis Flyer, no further sightings or rediscoveries have occurred since 2004 but scientists are hopeful.

While the woodpecker’s existence has not been confirmed since, tantalizing evidence continues to be gathered in Arkansas, Florida’s panhandle, South Carolina, and other locations across its historic range.

So tell me readers. Is $27 million taxpayer dollars worth the investment on “tantalizing evidence” and a sighting in 2004 that has been questioned?

While intriguing, I think that better substantiated evidence needs to be employed here before I would be willing to spend $27 million on hopefully finding something. I think USFWS tax dollars could be much better spent on other projects.

Leave comments below if you would like.

Tom Remington