Would you risk your life for wildlife?

[teknomage]

I would probably take a calculated risk. The question brought to mind some horrible footage I saw last year on TV. CCTV cameras had caught a group of three youths kicking a seagull to death. It was absolutely sickening. I know that had I been there I would certainly have tried to intervene.

I don't drive, but my partner of over 35 years does. In all the time I have known him, he has actively avoided hitting any animals that run out in front of the car - even as a young driver he would stop rather than run over a mouse. His attitute is that ok, this time it was only a mouse/rabbit/fox whatever, the next time it could be a child. In all that time the only accident he's ever had was when a van went into the back of our car when we were stopped at traffic lights!

Sadly, we've had two bird fatalities recently. One was a chaffinch that flew out a hedgerow straight into the side of the moving car. The other was a suicidal pheasant than ran from cover straight under the front wheel as we were turning onto a roundabout. Animals in front of the car can be avoided, but there's nothing you can do when the creature actively runs into the side of you.

tekno.mage

[Markulous]

Managed to avoid the shrew scurrying across the road (only saw it as it was contrasted nicely against the white road markings!) yesterday morning and the lolloping hare last night. But in neither case did I need to take extreme evasive action

[Fritillary]

reasonable risk is fine but not "die by the cause". I think the person that says "yes", they have not been in any dangerous situation and think they are in a hollywoodian film where there is always the happy ending or, maybe, are they with suicidal tendencies?.

I risked lightly my life one day. It was early and I saw a cat (I imagine it was a wild domestic cat), trying to cross the street but he looked a little stressed by the cars crossing. I could say there were some seconds of communication between both of us. I saw him, he saw me, I cross the road and I stay with my bike in the middle to stop any car coming and I told him of crossing. The cat understood wonderfully and crossed the street .

I will never stay in the middle of poachers, they only kill you and put you on the side of the way and that is. It is better to live for the cause and not to die for it.

[lincs lass]

Possibly. I did walk down the middle of the road a couple of weeks ago (I had to stop while on my way to work) to pick up a dead cat that some A****** had run over. I think I was about 2 - 3 cars behind the person that did it. So I guess I probably would.

[FUDGEY]

Never in a million years! I love my wildlife, but to risk my life us a big ask. Last year I was driving along the most dangerous road in my region ( the A75) I was doing about 50mph round a bend where I met a car in the same lane that was at a halt. I just braked in time in time inches from a major collision. I drove round her and she had stopped because some had hit a mallard and it was barely alive. I had my 1 year old son on the car and because this stupid women had stopped it could easily have killed us both. All I can say is it's a good job I have quick reactions. You are told in the highway code not to do this kind of thing. Still makes my blood boil now thinking about it.

[Susie]

It seems like every winter we read reports of people who have died while trying to rescue their dogs from frozen lakes or rivers when they have fallen through the ice. The stupid people lose their lives and put the lives of others at risk taking daft risks for their pets and quite often the animals get out fine anyway!

[FUDGEY]

Totally agree with you Susie

[eeyore]

yes there is a distinct difference between risking your own life - as in a confrontation with baiters for example - and putting others at risk through fool hardy actions