Predator control

[JeffH]

A neighbour has today drawn my attention to the following interesting (but no doubt controversial?) recent article by Robin Page - a local farmer, countryman and founder of the Countryside Restoration Trust -

Time to prey on predators - Telegraph

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Barn Owls and Avocets)

[Littlesparrow]

I don't think mink are native so I don't see any problem in humanely removing them. With all the others I would think there were plenty of other things having an impact on wildlife. loss of habitat, chemicals,farming practice, cats, road kill ect ect.

[Hedgehoggy]

Is this the 'Songbird Survival group' old chestnut per chance? And/or gamekeepers wanting to protect their profitable non-native gamebirds from our non-profitable native fauna?

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Hedgehoggy

Is this the 'Songbird Survival group' old chestnut per chance? And/or gamekeepers wanting to protect their profitable non-native gamebirds from our non-profitable native fauna?

Sounds about right..

[eeyore]

Typical torygraph xexexexe , they are right that predators take prey (hardly an earth shaking revelation) but they really cherry pick the data to support what is essential a spurious argument - for example stone curlew are a real conservation success story , both on salisbury plane and elsewhere, and the main reason for the expanding population is the RSPBs work with farmers to provide suitable habitat - I've no particular problem with controlling foxes for nest protection , but predation by badgers is so trivial as to not even be an issue.

Likewise with the supoposed problem with pine martens at abernethy - if they are such a problem why is the birdlife there so much richer than in the surrounding estates?

Mink are a problem at wicken fen (as they are everywhere else) but the article implies that the mink are protected by the National Trust, which is ridiculous - many Trust sites are engaged in active mink control ( I wouldnt like to comment on whether wicken are or not as i dont actually know)

and so on - as usual the telegraph arent letting the facts stand in the way of a good story

[fairplay]

I wonder how many acres are in Mr Page's backside ?
Because that is where he is talking from.

Neil.

[Acipiter]

Ah mr page, the same man who said sparrowhawks are killing all our song birds, that just shows how well informed he is does it not.

[woodwench]

Moorhens are regularly shot on shoots around here and with three gamekeepers in my family spanning over a hundred years, I can't ever remember stone curlews being protected by them.

My idea: we lack an impartial top predator, like the wolf. Man, in his pompous vanity will never suceed in taking the place of lupu lupus. Nor will he ever match natures wisdom.