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El hombre y el venado Cola blanca (Parte 2)

Ocultos y protegidos en la profunda hendidura que forma una cueva, un grupo de antiguos pobladores humanos se reúne en derredor de un nutrido fuego, en verdes, pero resistentes varas yacen sobre las hirvientes brasas grandes trozos de carne de ciervo.

En las paredes y el techo del modesto refugio se vislumbran por la luz fantasmal que proyectan las llamas, algunas siluetas pintadas de antiguos cazadores persiguiendo con arcos y lanzas a veloces ciervos.

Ninguno de ellos sabe desde cuando o por quien fueron pintadas. Cuando descubrieron la cueva, estas viejas escenas de caza tenían ya muchos miles de años.

Cansados y hartos de comer carne, cada uno elige un tibio rincón para dormir, saben que la cueva los protege de las temibles fieras que los acechan constantemente.

Se cubren con gruesas y tibias pieles toscamente curtidas de venados y animales abatidos con gran esfuerzo por los cazadores del grupo, inclusive algunas de las herramientas y armas que utilizaron fueron confeccionadas con las astas y los huesos de las mismas presas.

La inteligencia, el lenguaje hablado y el poder caminar erguidos dio al ser humano poco a poco el poder de dominar a criaturas salvajes más veloces y fuertes que ellos, inclusive los temibles depredadores caían abatidos por sus afiladas y fuertes lanzas y flechas.

El hombre se constituyó en la especie dominante del planeta, aprendió el arte de la agricultura y dejó de vagabundear sin rumbo para establecerse en ricos parajes, a los que en el curso del tiempo terminó modificándolos.

Desde aquellos remotos tiempos, hasta nuestros días, el venado Cola blanca ha estado de alguna manera presente en la vida del hombre, en tiempos pasados este noble animal nos vistió y alimentó.

Pero a principios de siglo, tanto los Indios nativos, como los colonizadores, casi eliminaron las poblaciones de venados de gran parte de Canadá y Estados Unidos.

No fueron miles, sino posiblemente millones de venados los que fueron abatidos por cazadores y tramperos para surtir el creciente comercio de pieles y carne que demandaban las recién instituidas Colonias.

Para principios del siglo pasado, las poblaciones de venado Cola blanca no pasaban de unos cientos de miles de ellos, grandes extensiones de bosques y llanuras, que algún día albergaron grandes rebaños de este animal, quedaron vacías.

“No fue hasta el año 1900 que se denegó por fin el tráfico de animales salvajes bajo la ley “Federal (U.S.) Lacey Act de 1900“, en el que se prohibió definitivamente y para siempre, la venta de animales salvajes para usos comerciales. Otra causa que finalmente terminó con la matanza indiscriminada de venados, fue una declaración impactante que salió a la luz del Biólogo T.S. Palmer del “Bureau of biological Survey” antecesor del “U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service”, el cual estimó que la población de este hermoso venado, no llegaba en el mejor de los casos, a más de 300,000 ejemplares en todo Estados Unidos, (Traducido de: A wildlife Management Institute Book, “White-Tailed Deer“ Ecology and management,…. Lowell K. Halls.).

Casi coincidiendo con el famoso naturalista y explorador Ernst Thomson Seton, que en el año 1909, también emitió un cálculo de no más de 500,000 ejemplares sobrevivientes en toda Norte América.

“La historia del venado Cola blanca ayudó a estimular la consciencia conservacionista que finalmente dio origen al manejo moderno de la fauna salvaje, inicialmente como un proceso político de prueba y error y eventualmente una disciplina científica“ …… Lowell K. Halls.

Grandes personajes como Theodore Roosevelt, apodado el “Bull Moose”, hombre audaz y ferviente cazador, pero también furioso conservador y amante de la naturaleza, siendo el Presidente de Estados Unidos, (1901-1909), impulsó la designación de 150 Reservas Naturales, las primeras 51 Reservas Federales para aves, 5 Parques Nacionales y las primeras 4 Reservas de caza, durante este periodo, que duró 7 ½ años proveyó de protección Federal a más de 230 millones de acres, (110 millones de Hectáreas), el equivalente a la superficie de todos los Estados costeros del Este de este País, desde Maine hasta Florida.Tomado de: .Biography of Theodore Roosevelt by Theodore Roosevelt Association.

Este logro fue un parte aguas que inició la recuperación de grandes territorios destinados a preservar la vida salvaje y los aún salvajes y agrestes ecosistemas naturales que podemos admirar actualmente.

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Man and Deer (Part 2)

The White tail deer, such as we know it nowadays, probably have been physically and physiologically unchanged for more than 500,000 years; their ancestors, from whom this deer evolved, had been roaming in the American continent for almost 20 millions of years. The continuous and long lasting interaction between the white tail deer and its environment have changed and shaped both. In the same manner, terrible and fierce carnivorous persecuted, chased and killed them all these time, finally polishing their body into a slim and agile creature, improving their acute senses, capable to outrun and escape from their persecutors most of the times. In much more recent ages, humankind also took their share from the deer herds, turning them into a cautious and shy creature, and instilling in them a justified and natural fear towards man.
Nowadays, the whitetail deer equals humankind in their urge to conquer new territories. Deer are so versatile and adaptable, that are capable to take aside ancient inherit habits and behavior to adapt and prosper at unusual and sometimes adverse situations and places. In just few generations, they modified their natural behavior and shyness and took advantage from human proximity and the radical changes that man was doing to their home ranges.
Deer invade by thousands the “recently” opened agricultural fields and feed from the rich cereals and forages of man year round, finding unlimited browse in them. They furtively slip into parks and gardens in dim light and bed just few steps from us, or cross the highways causing accidents. White tail deer challenge every man effort to control their numbers, it is a magnificent and efficient organism, extremely well equipped to succeed and reproduce. Their fine developed senses warn him from any danger and can deal or face any human intrusion within their domains. Although lacking our intelligence and ingenuity, their communication system and senses overwhelms ours enormously if confronted in the same conditions and field. Once almost eradicated from their original ranges, white tail deer are here to stay.
Thousands of books appear each year about the white tail. Our fascination for him, have no limits or borders, page after page can be piled up with theories trying to describe or solve their mysterious and secret life and behavior, thousand of articles dealing with their management, habits and hunting advices and methods, appear each day, almost every University in America realizes complex studies in these topics. Still, a mist of mystery clouds and minimizes their findings.
It is not my intention to place the missed pieces in the white tailed deer behavior puzzle, or fall in bored theories; my shelves are already full of magazines and books dealing with these themes. However, I have never found in any of these books, any reference or comment about the awesome links of friendship relations between man and deer, where trust, understanding and share take place.
It has been 7 ½ years now, since my first doe, “Timber”, was rescued been an abandoned fawn, she was the first deer to arrive to my refuge. Since then, I have been bringing other deer to this place. Actually, I have an small herd of 52 animals, whose origins comes from free and wild deer rescued from small remaining patches of forest surrounded by dangerous feral dogs and furtive hunters. Some others were wire trapped or injured deer, one of them with a deep stick wound under its chest. Others, orphan fawns abandoned by young and inexpert does and finally, undesirable deer pets. I had always felt a strong and deep passion for whitetails, and I have had an extraordinary and unusual approach to these animals all this years.
Is it possible that deer may be willing to take aside and forget their natural fear to man, and display an incredible and distinct relationship with us, even wild and untamed animals?...... Yes, I am convinced that some animals, included deer, may have a hidden sense that can notice and detect human good intentions and be willing to accept and trust man, even with further and deepest feelings than with other deer within their group. I usually spend many hours each week with my deer, I can go where they are bedded or resting and join them for many hours. Mostly, all of them keep an extraordinary and rich relationship with me, full of tenderness and confidence.
Some images and samples of the confidence and care that these deer kindly provide to me are contained in some of the videos that are included in this web page. I wish to share this with other people that feel the same for deer, I can´t describe what I feel when I am with my deer, but I really enjoy and pride their acceptance to me. I want to thank my dear friends, Frank and Mary, whom kindly included me within their extraordinary web site.
These sensitive animals had opened their world and share their space and secrets with me. I am proud of this. Within their awesome complexity, they live a simple life; agree with all what God provide to them. I have learned so many things from them that just can´t be find on books.
If deer are willing to accept us, and share their world with humankind; does man possess the same magnanimity and love to do the same?
Alejandro Gonzalez de Cossio
July 2008

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