Badger cull?

[STYRBJORN]

When the Badger Act was passed in 1992 the badger population of Britain was ~250,000. It is now ~400,000. Hedgepig numbers have dropped massively over the last 20 years. Badgers eat hedgepigs. Discuss the idea that all intervention not only may but will have unforseen effects.

[Hedgehoggy]

Even though my immediate priority is with our hedgepigs, I don’t consider that statement fair to victimise poor old Brock as a scapegoat for our hedgepigs’ decline!

Hedgepigs’ decline is due to a combination of factors. Although badgers are natural predators of hedgehogs, they don’t actively seek out hedgehogs on their menu, they’re opportunist feeders. Hedgehogs actively avoid sites where badgers are present in high numbers and when habitat provides sufficient cover and good foraging opportunities, badgers and hedgehogs can coexist. The problem arises when there is no safe refuge (habitat loss) and the prey that the two species compete for are scarce, then the hedgehogs may be in trouble...

[Biomotors]

In the same time period, road traffic has increased from 250 billion road miles per year, to 320 billion. Judging by the numbers of hedgehogs squished on the roads, I would think that is also a significant factor in their decline. Has anyone studied that?

Dominic

[Wild-Woman]

Habitat loss, garden chemicals, tidy clinical gardens, walls, roads and cars I would say are worse enemies to hedgehogs. Badgers and hedgehogs lived a balanced life alongside each other on this island for thousands of years. We're the problem I'm sure.

[DorsetDunk]

i have only once come across a hedgehog turned inside out by badgers though several squashed on the roads each year (not much of a road user though)
more minimalistic user friendly garden designs have not helped
i did hear a lot of grunting outside the caravan late at night I assume it was not the neighbours noisy love making but hedgehogs
i watched them last year ( the hedgehogs not the neighbours) very amusing lets just say they female was not very cooperative and things got very noisy indeed

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

When the Badger Act was passed in 1992 the badger population of Britain was ~250,000. It is now ~400,000. Hedgepig numbers have dropped massively over the last 20 years.

The numbers of ground nesting birds such as Lapwings, Skylarks, and Meadow Pipits have also been declining significantly since the 1980s, and Hedgehogs are known to take the eggs and young of ground nesting birds. Conclusion: the fall in Hedgehog numbers is because this food source has been lost.

Also, Little Egret have increased substantially during the last 20 years - conclusion: Hedgehogs are so scared of ghostly white herons that they have been dying from heart failure.

I'm being facetious here - but the fact remains that just because there is a correlation it does not mean that there is a direct link.

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

Badgers eat hedgepigs.

Badgers also eat a wide variety of other organisms - plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates. Can you show that Hedgehogs are eaten with sufficient frequency to have any effect on their population?

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

Discuss the idea that all intervention not only may but will have unforseen effects.

Possibly, but in the case of the Hedgehogs, there has not been enough research to determine what the actual reasons for the recorded decline are. Increasing numbers of Badgers might be one reason, but there are almost certainly others, and the main reason for the decline may be something that has not yet been considered.

[operanut1972]

Well to be blunt,

If the farmers, cla & ms speilman have their way, we'll not have to worry as said Brock will be getting a taste of lead into the rear end, forgive me, but how does that cure bTB? It doesn't it risks spreading it wider, easy options make for bigger problems in my honest opinion. As for Badgers eating Hedgehogs, yeah and..... I reckon we make a bigger impact on poor Mr Hedgepig than anything else. Does intervention cause unintentional results? Yes, not always bad ones. Should we stop trying? No even if the intervention is withdrawal of human presence it would still be interference in a landmass the size of the UK.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

When the Badger Act was passed in 1992 the badger population of Britain was ~250,000. It is now ~400,000. Hedgepig numbers have dropped massively over the last 20 years. Badgers eat hedgepigs. Discuss the idea that all intervention not only may but will have unforseen effects.

Here's an interesting question. What if, along with badgers and deer and a few other mammals, hedgehogs can catch BTB? (i've not seen any serious research into anything but badgers and cattle). I'd love to see the NFU try to force through a cull on hedgehogs, they wont get public opionon on that one, what ever propaganda they put out!

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Here's an interesting question. What if, along with badgers and deer and a few other mammals, hedgehogs can catch BTB?

They can, but it is considered to be rare:
Wildlifeonline - Questions and Answers - Hedgehogs

[STYRBJORN]

I was playing Devil's Advocate! I totally agree with Roy about correlation not establishing causation. Consider. The curve mapping the decline in the house sparrow population closely matches the curve showing the increasing disparity of income between rich and poor. OBVIOUSLY the poor are eating house sparrows.

Ric