Species justice and harm to animals - Environmental Harm: An Eco-justice Perspective - page 109

relative to human objectives. It tends to portray targeted species in ways
that foster eradication and fear of species rather than understanding
or appreciation of broader ecological and zoological processes and
imperatives. Similarly the use of 'invasive species' is highly charged as
it relies upon emotive language to again convey the sense of unwanted
intrusion. Of course, some 'alien' species are in fact welcomed regardless
of harmful impact on existing local species (see below on the galaxia
fish versus trout). However, the present point is not that certain trends
may prove harmful in wider ecological terms or in relation to concerns
about biodiversity, for this is surely the case (see, for example, UNEP,
2012: 143). Rather, the language of this threat reinforces human
categorisations of species that present them as somehow inherently
evil rather than as bona fide sentient creatures in their own right. This,
in turn, can lead to diminishment of 'normal' standards of treatment
in the rush to get rid of them. It can thus lead to and/or reinforce the
inhumane treatment of animals.
This is particularly evident in the case of action taken to deal with
'feral' animals. For example, in Australia certain animals are deemed
'wild pest', including feral cats, wild dogs, foxes, feral goats, feral pigs,
feral horses, rabbits, donkeys, camels, cattle, buffalo and rabbits. It is
estimated that there are 2.6 million feral goats, one million donkeys,
200 million rabbits, and 300, 000 feral camels, among other feral animals
(McEwen, 2008: 31). The sheer numbers of these animals, combined
with the predatory and/or competitive nature of their presence relative
to 'native' species is considered a major problem. The threat posed by
these animals to other animals and to habitats is enormous. Therefore,
an attempt to control their presence is not the main bone of contention.
Rather, the question is how should these animals be controlled and
managed? In current practice, cruelty is often ingrained in the mass
methods of control that are utilised, thereby illustrating and reflecting
the degraded status of those animals covered under the rubric of 'feral'.
Many millions of animals, particularly rats, mice, birds and guinea
pigs, are used for scientific research, but the biggest category of animals,
numerically, is that of animals used by humans for food. Consider the
size and growth in the animal food industry in the last few decades
for example.
In 1950 the United States had 3 million pig farms and 55
million pigs. That's an average of nineteen animals per farm.
By 2005, the number of pig-producing farms had dropped
to 67,000, less than 3 percent of what existed in 1950. These
farms housed 60 million pigs, with some massive industrial