Well, at Least It's Not the Spotted Owl

0 Comments | Insight on the News, Nov 27, 2000 | by John Elvin

Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt says he supports a Hopi religious practice of gathering baby golden eagles from their nests on cliffs in Wupatki National Monument in Arizona. The Hopis smother the eaglets in a ceremony recognizing the birds as messengers of the spirit world. The New York Times obtained a copy of a draft rule being prepared at Interior that would grant a waiver of protections normally extended to eagles.

The draft rule contains language suggesting that "a more generic rule" might be developed later because other tribes have religious-freedom issues involving national parklands. Critics say the waiver will open the way to claims for all sorts of exemptions allowing American Indians to use national parks in ways that others can't. There has been considerable pressure to open the lands for hunting and trapping by various tribes.

The Hopis argue that survival of their culture depends on practice of ancient religious rites. They smother only about 40 of the birds each year. Even if they get the waiver, though, there could be problems. For some reason, eagles have been avoiding Wupatki as a nesting site for some time now.