Playback Rate 1

Timecode: 00:00:00

WhitetailedDeer_LessFit_Armentrout_Dede_SanMarcosTX_22June1999_Reel2020.wav

Dede Armentrout [00:00:00] Another trend in Texas that's disturbing to me is privatization of Texas natural resources, in two respects.

Dede Armentrout [00:00:10] There's a real movement to privatize wildlife in Texas. It's a real aggressive movement, especially among some large landowners in Texas, to essentially own the wildlife that exists on a ranch.

Dede Armentrout [00:00:24] And the privatization of wildlife is really dangerous. It's biologically dangerous because people begin to breed for certain characteristics that might be desirable from a hunting standpoint or some kind of fad aesthetic principle.

Dede Armentrout [00:00:41] But as people begin to manipulate the genes of wildlife, they begin to make the wildlife less fit to adapt to its own environment.

Dede Armentrout [00:00:49] And I really, really strongly dislike the idea of privatized wildlife and manipulation of the genetics in wild populations.