We must protect all our natural resources
For centuries, humans throughout the world have bred and raised thousands of animal breeds for livestock purposes. However, since today’s industrial farms rely upon only a few specialized types of livestock breeds, thousands of noncommercial animals have disappeared, along with the valuable genetic diversity they possessed. The animals that are being lost contain valuable traits and genetics that may be needed in the future.
Today, such groups like the Livestock Conservancy and others strive to protect, conserve and promote endangered breeds of livestock and poultry. Many of these livestock animals are considered heritage animals and are at risk of becoming extinct. In the past 15 years, 190 breeds of heritage animals have gone extinct with another 1,500 at risk worldwide.
Heritage animals were bred over time to develop traits that made them particularly well-adapted to local environmental conditions. Without them, their unique genes are lost forever and can’t be used to breed new traits into existing livestock breeds.
Many heritage animals develop over long periods of time and usually in geographically isolated locations such as the Hawaiian Islands.
Our Hawaiian sheep and goats were brought here in the 1700s from some unknown origin, and are of unknown breeds and given as a resource to the Hawaiian Kingdom to feed its people. Hawaii’s wild sheep and goats have the potential to play a vital role in preserving genetic diversity within the world’s livestock species. This is where their true value and their future lie.
At this time, our priority should be to preserve the existing genotypes of these breeds and ensure their conservation — not primarily as relics of the past, but as something valuable and unique to our Island that we are fortunate to have with us today.
Instead, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and other environmental groups seek the complete destruction and eradication of a unique resource — our heritage animals. A balance must be struck to protect our endemic species and our unique heritage animals. Time is running out for both.
Tony Sylvester
Hilo