Should I bait?

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

I do and did firmly state that I would not be keen on using baits to attract raptors close to camera. I do respect those kind folks though, who are honest enough to admit to doing so. I guess my reason is that I love life whether it is a mouse, rat or the mighty eagle (substitute YOUR fave eagle for that one).

I was speaking to the pest control company operations manager whose firm maintains our companies' various sites yesterday and he said that I should have seen the mouse plague they had at my site a year ago. Then I was thinking that they will mercilessly (sad but true in the reality of the world) clobber those mice/rats to death anyway and asked what would be the possibility of getting a couple of dozen mice for raptor baiting? It appears I would have no problem getting them. He does want to see photos regardless whether I do that or not as he loves birds of prey.

Now, here is the ethical dilemma I do have. I do prefer not to kill an animal or use it as bait. But these mice would be killed regardless.

Should I get them or not is what I ask! The only really positive outcome for me on my photographic level would be the raptor/prey shots even though set up.

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.

[Mark Fuge]

Personally, I would not bait.

The alternative to the death of the species is to have him give you all the live rats and mice and trek them into the wild, away from the impact on man... Then release them for their freedom and ultimate fate, as it were. But the basic question is not unlike the game farm issue. Some would and some would not. I don't, but do not stop others from what they feel is right.

The only rodents that get caught and killed by man are those that impact on man and their families. In that case, you are doing what would be done as you say. It just is ... is that what you really personally feel should be done?

Ethics are both professionally guided and personally guided. My personal ethics may not agree with you and may not affect you, likewise yours to me. First you need to determine if it is generally ethical, which as you say is their plight either way. Then you have to determine if it is in your ethical belief to do so.

Good Luck and enjoy nature as you ethically feel is right. Given your concern as noted, I do not have a problem with your being unethical in the professional sense.

Mark

[john crookes]

Akos,

Are they going to use poison to kill the animals.

I would be very carefull of using anything from a exterminator as that is the usual way they deal with pest.

John

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Akos,

Are they going to use poison to kill the animals.

I would be very carefull of using anything from a exterminator as that is the usual way they deal with pest.

John

No. They have either a live trap without poisons (he mentioned that if I wanted live speciments) or a sticky tape trap which you probably know that the rodent sticks to and cannot get away.

They they just crush the skulls. :(

[Linda Dulak]

I think everyone should also consider the fact that you are probably releasing a non-native species. Most of the rodents infesting our houses are not native to the region, especially in the US. If you are going to bait, consider using a native species on the off hand situation where one survives. A pregnant mouse could really have an impact on the environment as the reproductive rate is astonishing. And never do as Mark Fuge suggested, trap and take them out into the woods unless you can determine that these are the native species, not the common house mouse or Norway rat. The impact on the environment could be quite severe. All one has to do is to go to an island where rats or mice were introduced by man and see the impact on a variety of birds.

Linda

[Axel Hildebrandt]

In the big picture I don't think it makes a difference if you use these mice to bait raptors. But your original question was about ethics. Since ethics is about intentions, you have to ask yourself if you want to be an active part of have someone (raptor) kill/eat them. If I understand your convictions right then baiting would not be the right thing to do regardless of what happens to the critters. The fact that they are going to die anyways does not make a difference in my opinion.

[Jay Gould]

Bait to your heart's content, enjoy the photographic challenges and the resulting images, and consider that you are providing food for the raptors that are providing you with the photographic opportunities. Better the mouse should end up feeding the raptors and their young than simply being disposed of in the tip or furnace after being crushed. IMHO