A Walk On The Wild Side

Joe Hutto responds:

I would never imply that hunters or wildlife agencies are corrupt, and I regret that you perceive I did. I have been a lifelong hunter, attributing much of my passion for the natural world to that experience. Further I have worked as an outfitter and guide, and have been employed by state and federal agencies as a research biologist. No one has more regard for these dedicated public servants than me.

In general wildlife agencies do not make game laws but rather give recommendations to legislators and governors. So do lobbyists or so-called stakeholders, who may not prioritize the long-term interest of a species. Wildlife should not be considered a currency with which to garner votes or revenue.

As to the decline of ecosystems, the blame can always be laid squarely at the feet of humanity. Invariably we are the cause: all of us who, even unknowingly, compete with the fragile life that surrounds us. We all bear the responsibility to improve things when and where we can.

Joe Hutto’s passion for wildlife is evident, and his interaction with the natural world goes deeper than the average person’s [“A Walk on the Wild Side,” interview by Al Kesselheim, May 2017], but he paints a dark picture of hunters and wildlife agencies as corrupt and unconcerned with the well-being of animals. Without those agencies, as well as thousands of conservation groups in the U.S., the ecosystems we have maintained these past hundred years would fall apart. Hunters pay $1.6 billion every year to protect these wild places. It’s unfair to blame the tragedies he has witnessed on all hunters, many of whom are just as passionate about nature as Hutto.

Greg Krieger Winnemucca, Nevada

Al Kesselheim’s interview with Joe Hutto [“A Walk on the Wild Side,” May 2017] makes me think of my family: My brother because he kept piranhas, an iguana, gerbils, hamsters, Guinea pigs, mice, salamanders, saltwater fish, spiders, and more as pets. My mother because she accommodated us by caring for rescued birds, a stray turtle, or a baby bunny. My grandfather because he taught me how to cajole a feral cat out of hiding by ignoring the cat while slowly walking with a piece of twine tied to my ankle. My grandmother because she always knew where to find the latest litter of kittens, treated the cows as gently as she did her grandchildren, and once shared my sense of wonder as we watched a chicken lay an egg.

Michele Thorne Wilmette, Illinois

Joe Hutto responds:

To Michele Thorne: You’re right; all creatures provide us a glimpse into the wonders of life — when we pay attention.

To Deborah Ramsay: I agree that humans and other living things are capable of some shared vision of our common membership in the ineffable complexities of life.

To K. Carnes: No question about it. As admirers of wildlife and the natural world, our involvement with wild things can come with certain liabilities for all. We need to be vigilant and responsible in our interactions and relationships with other creatures.

To Zoe Weil: As a child I was often indiscriminate in how I gained access to wildlife and to young animals in particular. I did exercise some restraint, except when rescuing orphans. In those days it was still considered appropriate to collect “specimens” with so-called killing jars, and I’m sad to say I had a comprehensive butterfly collection. Still, I’m grateful for the rocky path that brought me to a better perspective.

In response to your second question, I am concerned about the plight of creatures raised for food. Naturally I have become hypersensitive (oversensitive, some might say) about the killing of any living thing. I have had personal relationships with certain fish, and I know fish think and feel, so I am conflicted about the wild seafood I continue to eat.

As someone who has spent the bulk of her career communicating about natural-resource management, I found Al Kesselheim’s interview with Joe Hutto to be a page turner. It neglected, however, to touch upon the downsides of human-animal interactions.

Baby bison in Yellowstone and baby seals on the West Coast have been euthanized after humans attempted unnecessarily to “rescue” them. People have been killed while taking photos of themselves with wild animals. Curious humans have disrupted the resting, feeding, or mating behaviors of sea life. Well-meaning people have fed wild animals until they have become conditioned not to forage or hunt for themselves.

Unless you’re a research biologist like Hutto, keep wildlife “wild” by admiring it from a distance.

K. Carnes Portland, Oregon

Joe Hutto’s stories about his life with animals were mesmerizing. I loved getting a glimpse into the world of this deeply compassionate ethologist. I have two questions for Hutto. We find out that, as a boy, he brought home young animals to raise, but we never learn whether these were orphans or babies he took from their families. If they were the latter, does Hutto regret capturing them, since he talks about the grief experienced by animals who lose loved ones? I also wondered whether his empathy for prey animals extends to farmed animals. In other words, is he vegan?

Zoe Weil Surry, Maine

The interview with Joe Hutto affected me profoundly. I have always known that animals are at least our equals. The most loving and respectful relationship I ever had was with a dog. I have also had close relationships with horses, rabbits, cats, and humans. And I have swum with sea turtles and manta rays. I am grateful for these opportunities for intimacy.

I remember once sitting on a high cliff overlooking the ocean. As I enjoyed the feelings evoked by the beautiful view of water and sky, my dog sat next to me, also gazing out into that expanse for a long time. I imagine he was having a similar experience.

Deborah Ramsay St. John
Virgin Islands

I don’t think I’ve ever encountered as enlightened a take on humans’ relationships with other animals as Joe Hutto’s. I was touched by the depth of his empathy and impressed that he could be sentimental when it was appropriate and avoid sentiment when it wasn’t.

Randolph Maxted Tucson, Arizona

Joe Hutto’s communion with animals and his view of them as sentient beings with rich and important lives [“A Walk on the Wild Side,” interview by Al Kesselheim, May 2017] gives me hope. If enough of us choose not to discriminate against animals, they stand a chance of thriving in spite of the indifference and cruelty of many.

We humans are an invasive species. Can the planet’s wondrous variety of animals continue to coexist with our out-of-control population growth? Only if there is respect for the rights of nonhumans.

Meg Knol-Digby Ames, Iowa