Despite the protests of "animal rightists," livestock production is both practical and ethical, according to a retired wildlife zoologist from UC Davis, who refers to himself as an "animal welfarist." "Approximately 7 billion livestock and other domestic animals, which are all genetically different from their wild ancestors, are born annually, most living lives that are free of nature's cruel brutality," says Walter E. Howard, a professor emeritus of wildlife and fisheries biology. "As meat eaters, humans are simply a necessary part of nature's food chain, which operates on the basis of the survival of the fittest," says Howard. During his 44-year career, Howard studied the ecology, behavior, population dynamics and control of wildlife, particularly rodents, coyotes and other wild vertebrates. In retirement, he has become an outspoken advocate of the moral and ethical rights of humans to utilize animals for food and game, research and recreation. He maintains that only the human species shows compassion and pity for its prey, consequently animals meet a gentler end at the hands of most humans than they would if left to live and die according to the laws of nature. Howard spoke on "Wildlife and Animal Rights as A Barrier to Meat Production from Forage" during the recent annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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Pat Bailey, Research news (emphasis: agricultural and nutritional sciences, and veterinary medicine), 530-219-9640, pjbailey@ucdavis.edu