Butterflies in Danger

(San Diego, California) The Thorne's hairstreak butterfly, with purple-brown underside and iridescent green sheen, and the Hermes butterfly, reflecting sunlight with yellow underwings, are at great new risk of extinction due to the wildfires that charred vast areas of Southern California last fall. Environmentalists blame state officials for not providing enough natural habitat. According to David Hogan of the Center for Biological Diversity in San Diego,

"There's been totally ridiculous bureaucratic bumbling on the Fish and Wildlife Service's part, resulting in a very tragic situation today."

I don't want to be insensitive, but I think the environmentalists should shoulder at least partial responsibility for any demise of the butterflies. In the first place, isn't it the Green Advocacy that prevents the clearing of the brush that burns in wildfires? The brush can't be cleared because it endangers the habitat of a recently discovered toad, mouse, or chipmunk. Unfortunately, the brush frequently catches fire and kills not only the toads, the mice, the chipmunks, but also the butterflies. The Greenies probably shouldn't be pointing fingers.