According to Wikipedia: The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats.
So, why does it appear that San Antonio’s local Audubon has distanced themselves from “defending” the birds along with their habitats? Is San Antonio Not Big Enough for a Rookery?
The Great Egret-the symbol of the National Audubon Society is featured in Audubon’s logo. Yet, this beautiful “Conservation” mascot, the Great Egret is one of a group of migratory birds under assault throughout the City of San Antonio (COSA) by the City’s Parks and Recreation Department and the USDA’s Wildlife Services Texas Division.
In 2021, COSA proclaimed itself a “Bird friendly” city, and then hired an agency that obtained a US Fish & Wildlife Department Depredation permit for lethal take of some of the birds. The USDA APHIS is known for killing millions of wildlife each year.
Read More: US Government’s Wildlife ‘Management‘ is Inflicting Slow, Painful Death on Animals by ladyfreethinker.org.
According to TPWD website: “Audubon Texas and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department certified San Antonio in 2021 as Bird City Texas. Recognition is based on what communities have already completed during the year they apply as well as their future commitments.”
Bird City Texas is a “community-focused certification program was created to help people protect birds and their habitats where we live, work, and recreate. The criteria required to attain certification are designed to be impactful and efficient against habitat loss and other harmful factors impacting birds.”
Read More: Bird City Texas by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Bexar Audubon’s current President Britt Coleman in a recent newsletter stated that, “due to habitat destruction outside of the city, the populations have swelled to sufficient numbers to become a nuisance. “
Having observed and documented the assault on the birds for the last six years now, I can tell you that the destruction of habitat by the City of San Antonio Parks and the USDA in 16,237.5 Acres is the cause for the movement.
The current effort to destroy nests with viable eggs and even kill birds does not take conservation needs into account nor has there been any consideration for those species listed in the State’s Wildlife Action Plan as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
The Egrets and Herons travel to the interior of Texas and beyond to nest each spring. They include the Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, Little Blue Heron, and Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron.
These short to long distant migrants come from the Gulf of Mexico Coastline, Mexico, Central and South America to nest. Over the last four years, these birds have been arrived to find themselves in a living a nightmare in a city whose cultural heritage is deeply connected to the Culture of the people.
The current work by the USDA throughout the City of San Antonio is without public disclosure as required per the National Environmental Policy Act or Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
In a letter obtained via FOIA from Bexar Audubon to Jessica Alderson, Biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife, Audubon offered suggestions on where to “relocate” the birds from Historic Brackenridge Park.
I was informed by Audubon of the suggestion to build “nesting platforms” near Braunig and Calaveras Lake tributaries on the outskirts of town. My question to Audubon, is why you would send the birds to nest where pollution has been reported, since the waterbirds are sensitive to pollutants.
Read More: Report Shows Pollution’s Leaking from CPS Energy Plants in Southeast San Antonio by San Antonio News.
The other suggestion from Audubon was to send the birds to Mitchell Lake. In 2019 the USACE notified the public. “The ER feasibility study will develop and analyze ecosystem restoration alternatives, including the No Action Alternative, to restore degraded ecological functions and wetland habitats at Mitchell Lake to increase habitat quality for migratory birds and other wildlife species.”
The Final feasibility report by the US Army Corps of Engineers, “Although the lake no longer serves a wastewater function, the degradation is still evident. The waters of Mitchell Lake are highly eutrophic causing unstable dissolved oxygen and pH levels and therefore the current conditions no longer support the biodiversity of the historic wetland vegetation community or other aquatic life.”
Read More: Mitchell Lake Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study by https://www.swf.usace.army.mil/.
The City of San Antonio appears to have bypassed the public in the decisions that have adversely impacted not only wildlife, but also the public. A trend of misrepresented information is being promoted. Blaming the birds for the water quality along the area in Brackenridge Park that can be contradicted by emails and online data(16% Avian according to the San Antonio River Authority website).
TSHA online reports that Cattle Egrets have not been found to have diseases detrimental to humans, or native egrets or herons. Without a plan on where the birds will go or it appears without consideration for where the birds may end up, the assault continues until public outcry stops it in its tracks.
The USDA’s methods may pose risk to humans, pets, nontarget species and the Environment!
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Alesia Garlock
Wildlife / Environmental Advocate! I fight to protect nature. Informing the public of hidden agenda!
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