This is the e-mail I sent to Philippe. Those latest pictures show the soul of Pale Male.
Shameful! Disgraceful! It is bad enough to poison any innocent wildlife, but how will you explain yourselves if you kill the most famous hawks in the world? We deal with rats on a daily and nightly basis in our urban setting --and my partner was collections manager for 26 years for a Museum with the world's largest collection of wild bird eggs and bird skins, very vulnerable to pests. He did not use rat poison--says he never has and never will. We will donate traps if you are broke.
Sincerely,
Betty Jo M.
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Dear Mr. Montebello,
I am a long-term resident of NYC and have seen the wonderful changes that have been made in Central Park. We have also had the privilege of attracting wildlife of all kinds in recent years. It is therefore, with great sadness that I have learned that the Metropolitan Museum is putting very toxic rodenticide around its perimeter. As I am sure you are now aware, we have a wonderful pair of red-tailed hawks, Pale Male and Lola, who have given us city dwellers many years of great pleasure. It is truly a wondrous thing to have these hawks as part of our city. I am very concerned for their welfare and that of their descendents. I am all too familiar with the results of rodenticide on hawks. In Riverside Park we had a young pair set up a nest. So many people spent many hours looking up at the nest, watching the young parents as they prepared to raise their three newborn youngsters. We all became surrogate parents to the young hawks. But, just at the time of their birth, rodenticide was put out around a building near the park, Within a few days, all of the 3 young hawks had died from eating poisoned rats. For all of us who cared about them, it was a tragedy to lose these young birds in such a terrible and unnecessary way.
I urge you to find another way dealing with the rat population that is not toxic to our wildlife. I hope that you will do all you can to protect the living as you do the great art in the Metropolitanm Museum. If Pale Male or Lola should be poisoned by the rats around the museum, I, along with many people from all over the world, would be extremely upset by their loss.
I thank you for your kind consideration of this matter.
Brigitte L.
New York Resident
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Please know that I am watching and reading your site everyday and add my voice and sentiment to the plight of the wildlife in New York. Please give my regards to Pale Male, Lola and their family.
Thank you,
Linda
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
From: Linda S.
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 7:42 AM
To: 'philippe.demontebello@metmuseum.org'
Subject: Important Situtation
Mr de Montebello:
I was relieved to read the news release on July 15th about the Metropolitan Museum of Art realizing the dangers of using FASTRAC for rodent control and had subsequently stopped this deadly practice. But, recently I became aware that the Musem is now using the lethal rodenticide, CONTRAC that also has the active ingredient of [Bromodiolone].
Please sir, stop the practice of poisoning the rats. This practice and its' consequences are not consistent with the moral and social obligations of the highly esteemed and world famous Museum. For the Museum to engage in the willfull endangerment of the highly prized wildlife in the middle of New York City is scandalous.
I'm sure you know about and have heard of the world famous but endangered Redtail Hawks, Pale Male, Lola and their offspring who live in the City. People that come from all over the world come to visit the United States, New York, Central Park and the institutions such as the Museum have the highest expectations of the United States, the worlds most famous city and its' enviorns. New Yorkers, set the standard for excellence in culture, art and forward thinking in our country. It is quite shameful that an institution as prestigious as the Musem would engage in the wilful practice of poisoning integral members of the New York fabric of life.
Please sir, put an end to the poisoning,
Respectfully,
Linda S.
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Dear Mr. Holzer:
I appreciate the fact that as Vice President, External Affairs, you are probably very busy doing many things for the Museum. However, I am disappointed that you are unable to answer any of the questions I asked in my email below, particularly with respect to the use of the replacement baiting station you reported in the News Release/Statement issued by the Museum on July 15, 2008.
While your mosts recent response makes me feel like I'm tilting at windmills, I remain very concerned about the integrity of life, from that of the rat to that of the hawk. Did you know that the use of DDT was stopped because the raptors, that it almost completely decimated, pointed out how dangerous and lethal it was? They have only recently been brought back from near extinction.
In this regard does the death of juvenile hawks, after having been fed a diet that included rats that were poisoned by chemicals that are contained in most baiting stations, not signal anything?
Thank you for your time.
Zoe
----- Original Message -----
From: Holzer, Harold
To: Zoe Berger
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 9:08 AM
Subject: RE: Rat Control at the Museum
Dear Ms. Berger:
I cannot go into the details, but please be assured we are studying all the relevant technologies, both on the web and from our experts, and will take every precaution as we continue our work to safeguard the integrity of the building and collections—and, of course, the environment.
Thank you for writing with these valuable leads. We appreciate your interest.
Harold Holzer
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10028
T: 212-570-3951
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Called the director's office today and they asked to switch me to "Communications." A nice woman listened patiently, and asked if I'd email their VP of External Communications:
Harold Holzer
communications@metmuseum.org
and those who are calling would get a reply. I will do that now.
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What a fantastic sequence of photos of Pale Male and Lola and the gull. Thank you
for sharing, and thank your "fierce" feline companion for allowing you time to post
the photos.
As always, thank you for allowing us to see these magnificent creatures.
Shelley G.
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I have copied Frederic on this email since maybe he can let you know hotmail is blocking some of your incoming email if this one doesn't get delivered too.
I hope this gets thru to you. I tried to send you an email a day or so ago, but hotmail thought it was spam and bounced it back to me.
I was trying to send you a copy of the email I had gotten from the Met, after I emailed them about their poison. The email contained this:
Many thanks for your Friday message. We are taking this matter very seriously and looking into it. We will report back soon.
Harold Holzer
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10028
T: 212-570-3951
F: 212-472-2764
Email: harold.holzer@metmuseum.org
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What is the alternative that can be offered as a suggestion for replacement of this horrible poison they are currently using at the Met Museum?
Love the picture of smile pretty for Lincoln kitty.
Take care.
Pat
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Ms. B.:
The Director’s office forwarded your recent email. Pls know that the Museum is aware of this question and has already taken steps to thoroughly investigate. We take the matter seriously, and if we need to make corrections will do so. Many thanks for your message and we will keep you posted.
Harold Holzer
Harold Holzer
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10028
T: 212-570-3951
F: 212-472-2764
Email: harold.holzer@metmuseum.org
From: communications
Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2008 3:11 PM
To: Holzer, Harold
Subject: FW: Please forward this to Philippe de Montebello
---
From: Zoe B.
Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2008 8:26 AM
To: communications
Subject: Please forward this to Philippe de Montebello
Dear Mr. de Montebello:
I understand there are rat baiting stations placed around the Museum that contain poisons. These poisons are a direct threat to the hawks that live in the neighborhood who hunt rats, eat them and consume the poison the rat has eaten.
There have already been hawk deaths as a result of this practice. You may not be aware of this.
I implore you to please find another way to deal with the rat situation. Aside from the fact that this is an excruciating way for the rats to die, this totally uncompassionate solution does not stop at the unnecessary suffering of the rat.
As Director, I assume you have some say in the use of these baiting stations. Perhaps you can be the innovative force behind how the rat problem is dealt with throughout the City - not only in places like Central Park, but everywhere.
Nobody seems to be willing to take the initiative to approach this problem in any way other than to use poisons. I do know there are deterrents that can be used that will not cause undue suffering, and at the same time will keep the rats away from areas where they are not wanted.
Please please please address this issue. You are probably aware that there is a very world renown resident couple of red tail hawks who have been living in the area for many years. I speak of Palemale and Lola who are loved by people from all over the world. If they were to catch one of the rats who visited one of these baiting stations, the result would be MORE than tragic.
I grew up in Manhattan but have been living in Canada for years. I, like many many people, follow the lives of Palemale and Lola everyday on the website dedicated to them.
I sincerely hope you will give this some thought and then, hopefully, some action.
I would appreciate having a response from you to ensure you have received this note.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Zoë B.
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I called the office of the director at the MET today, said what I wanted to say, and was transferred to Communications. I spoke with someone who told me that the most effective way to communicate our protests re the use of the poison is to email Communications at
communications@metmuseum.org
I can see where this would be effective. The words are down in detail to be read.
I followed through. Perhaps you might want to put this email info on your website.
Eleanor
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Philippe de Montebello and to Whom it May Concern, I understand that the Met is using rodent baiting stations containing "Bromethalin" in openareas behind the museum. The Park wildlife... specifically Hawks feed on the rats (A better way of getting rid of them).I have been told this poison presents a serious risk to birds and their offspring. I hope you address this issue and come-up with a better solution.
Thank you,
Murray H.
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I am writing to protest the use of bating stations that you have put out to control rodents. The hawks are doing a fine job without your endangering their lives by doing this. Please stop immediately before it is too late. All of Pale Male and Lola's fans are watching you hoping that this will be resolved without tragic results as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Mickey de Rham
Dir/founder White Mt. Animal League
Sugar Hill, NH
www.spokescow.org
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Dear Mr. de Montebello:
I understand there are rat baiting stations placed around the Museum that contain poisons. These poisons are a direct threat to the hawks that live in the neighborhood who hunt rats, eat them and consume the poison the rat has eaten.
There have already been hawk deaths as a result of this practice. You may not be aware of this.
I implore you to please find another way to deal with the rat situation. Aside from the fact that this is an excruciating way for the rats to die, this totally uncompassionate solution does not stop at the unnecessary suffering of the rat.
As Director, I assume you have some say in the use of these baiting stations. Perhaps you can be the innovative force behind how the rat problem is dealt with throughout the City - not only in places like Central Park, but everywhere.
Nobody seems to be willing to take the initiative to approach this problem in any way other than to use poisons. I do know there are deterrents that can be used that will not cause undue suffering, and at the same time will keep the rats away from areas where they are not wanted.
Please please please address this issue. You are probably aware that there is a very world renown resident couple of red tail hawks who have been living in the area for many years. I speak of Palemale and Lola who are loved by people from all over the world. If they were to catch one of the rats who visited one of these baiting stations, the result would be MORE than tragic.
I grew up in Manhattan but have been living in Canada for years. I, like many many people, follow the lives of Palemale and Lola everyday on the website dedicated to them.
I sincerely hope you will give this some thought and then, hopefully, some action.
I would appreciate having a response from you to ensure you have received this note.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Zoë B.
*******************************************************
Thank you for giving us the phone number....I called just now but of course the man himself was in a meeting, however I left a message....hope he gets it and hope there are a lot of other messages too.
It is just sickening and one feels so helpless. Those dear Hawks going about their business and they may be the next victims. It is so unfair !!
Sincerely,
Norma H.
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I just called the MET regarding the open baiting stations that have been installed. The woman who answered the phone said that she has received a number of calls and that they are currently working on/looking into the situation. She was very pleasant and said that she appreciated the call. I told her that I am in central Florida and have been a follower of Pale Male and Lola for 10+ years and I am simply concerned for their well being and any other harmless creatures this bait may affect or kill. She said she understood and would relay my concerns to the proper individuals.
Thank you for posting the information for us to reach out and attempt to right this horrible wrong. Another day, another man made catastrophe in the making for innocent wildlife.
I love what you do Lincoln and appreciate all your efforts.
God bless you.
Sandy & Tom
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HI - I just wanted to let you know how much I value your interest in the NY hawk situation. I am new to it, but enjoy your pics and perspective. I took a lesser approach to contacting the Met, see below. I'm not trying to subvert your more active approach, just to enhance from a different, and not incompatible, perspective. I live in MD and have never even been to NYC. Look forward to becoming involved, though.
If you want me to redirect my thoughts of below, let me know who I can direct them to.
Contact info is below. Meanwhile, I will continue to monitor the site.
Thanks,
Sharon
Begin forwarded message:
From: Sharon F.
Date: July 10, 2008 9:38:34 PM EDT
To: education@metmuseum.org
Subject: Request - one that you will probably have to pass on
Hello,
I have recently become a fan of Pale Male and the conservation issues that surround the Met's use of rodenticide. Please don't delete this message yet!! I am no "greenie".
I do think the education dept. could help to provide rationale to the use of rodent control measures. I imagine the organization would not resort to such methods if there were other effective means were available. Still, when the clear connection is made to rat poison and death of baby birds (that, if allowed to live and mature, could help to reduce the rodent population), it does contribute to a negative public perception.
Would you consider mounting an education campaign that would induce those with unique (and less harmful-to-bystanding-raptors) rodent-control methods to apply their thoughts to a new approach? Perhaps it could be done in coordination with an environmental agency (govt) or independent organization.
Bringing in a new thought process to the age-old problem of rats would add a great deal to the value of education and demonstrate a progressive attitude to ever-changing ideals and technologies. While the Met succeeds well on its definition of art, maybe the time has come to expand that definition to include nature, itself, as a very high form of art.
This is a first blush thought and one that needs work. I am starting at ground level, but I will also try to approach through other avenues.
Thanks for your consideration.
Sharon S. F.
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