It’s seriously not a big deal if Sea Turtles were extinct (Opinion)

Of course when I learned that four sea turtles were being rehabilitated in New Jersey and then released back into the ocean at Point Pleasant Beach, I had to take the opportunity to point out some things that are obvious, but never discussed.

First of all, nature is violent and dangerous. So while you're admiring the cuteness of the shelled creatures and feeling warm all over because they will be returning to their natural habitat, think about what that actually means.

Most Sea Turtles never achieve adulthood. And most species that have ever existed on earth have become extinct. The ones that have made it so far are the targets of the apex predators. In the case of the Sea Turtle, they gotta watch for the sharks. Which of course, is fine with me as it's simply the reality in nature. Nature is not actually cute & cuddly, but in fact, harsh and destructive. Besides, the sharks have to eat don't they?

It's nice that a few tourists showed up to see the turtles off as they venture back into the cold and potentially deadly environment of the Atlantic Ocean. I know that some people like to believe that nature is so gentle and calm that the real problem in the world is the human population. But let's come back to earth...the real earth. Not the sanitized version pushed by animal rights radicals like PETA.

Nature and animals are crucial for human progress and consumption. Stop letting people think that they can simply coexist with nature without exercising a certain amount of control and power. That's right. We need the fishermen and shrimp boat captains to continue doing what they do. Even though many turtles end up caught in nets eventually die.

We need to have bear hunts and deer hunting season to keep the animal population from intruding into our communities and damaging our property and, in some cases, claiming human life. We need a healthy balance of vegetables and animal protein for our own existence.

So if you want to cheer for the release of the turtles that may well be the next course on the shark buffet, go ahead. But please stop pretending that nature is benign and that without humans, all would be balanced in the world. And honestly, can people really not handle the potential of living in a world without Sea Turtles? Seems like we have this discussion every year. Last year it was over the Piping Plovers, remember them?

Remember this, there will always be a top of the food chain, you should be happy that it's us.

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea. The opinions expressed here are solely those of Bill Spadea.

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