Page 192 - Our Vanishing Wild Life
P. 192
170 OUR VANISHING WILD LIFE
sheepoftheSantaMariaLakesregion. In1908,Isolemnlywarnedthe government of President Diaz, and at that time the Mexican government expressed much concern.
It is a great pity that just now political conditions are completely estopping wild-life protection in Mexico; but it is true. If the code of proposed laws that I drew up (by request) in 1908 and submitted to Minister Molina were adopted, it would have a good effect on the fauna of Mexico.
In Mexico there is little hoofed game to kill,—deer of the white-tail groups, seven or eight species; the desert mule deer; the brocket; the prong-horned antelope, the mountain sheep and the peccary. The deer will not so easily be exterminated, but the antelope and sheep will be utterlydestroyed. Theywillbethefirsttogo; andIthinktheycannot byanypossibilitylastlongerthantenyears. IsitnottoobadthatMexico should permit her finest species of hoofed and horned game to be oblit- erated before she awakens to the desirability of conservation! The Mexicans could protect their small stock of big game if they would ; but in Lower California they are leasing huge tracts of land to cattle com- panies, and they permit the lessees to kill all the wild game they please on their leased lands, even with the aid of dogs. This is a vicious and fatal system, and contrary to all the laws of nations.
