Brown Bears and red squirrels

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Brown Bears and red squirrels
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Should grey squirrels be culled to allow for red squirrels?

Yes

80%

[ 38 ]

19%

[ 9 ]

Total Votes : 47

Author

Message

Cobnut

Joined: 29 Aug 2008
Posts: 475
Location: North Herefordshire

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 10:44 am Post subject:

Brownbear wrote:

Cobnut wrote:

I find it funny how humans are very fond of labelling some species as ï¿½pestsï¿½ or ï¿½verminï¿½ yet if you really want to create a problem with the environment you really do need a human to do it.

Do humans not have a right to inhabit and affect the environment, then?

I think itï¿½s hypocritical of humans to label some species as pests when so many humans have a negative impact on the environment. I think we have a responsibility to do as little harm as possible, yet we are so arrogant and think we can do what we like regardless. We have a lot of power but itï¿½s often abused unfortunately.

We will probably never have a meeting of minds over this, Brownbear, and as I want to have a pleasant day today Iï¿½m not going to get into a debate about it, sorry. Itï¿½s too emotive and heavy a subject

...and anyway, Columboï¿½s on at 1.30pm

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 10:51 am Post subject:
All I meant was, if it's OK for grey squirrels to out-compete the reds for resources, why isn't it OK for humans to out-compete the greys?

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 10 8:32 pm Post subject:
Saw a red yesterday in a forest in N.I. First time I have seen a red in nigh on 20 years.

dan1

Joined: 23 Jun 2010
Posts: 102
Location: Bristolish

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 10 1:54 pm Post subject:

Regardless of the ethical issues, I dont think a cull would work. The current massive grey population grew quickly from a few introductions because they're so successful. You cant put back the clock. It wouldnt be possible to totally eradicate them and any few survivors would quickly recolonise. You'd be committing money and resources to an endless and unwinnable war. We may as well live with them, and enjoy the odd squirrel stew.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 10 2:46 pm Post subject:

But it is working on Anglesey. The greys on the island have all but been eradicated by a long and well organised cull. This has lead to the red squirrel starting to flourish once again.
A lot of the work hasn't cost a penny because its been carried out by volunteeers.
There must be other geographically suited areas where similar culls could also be successful. I don't think that there would be any shortage of volunteers.

I don't think that any ethics come into it. They cary a disease which see's off the native red, they damage trees and play havoc with nesting birds and they taste nice.

dan1

Joined: 23 Jun 2010
Posts: 102
Location: Bristolish

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 10 7:50 pm Post subject:
Anglesea's an exception, like Brownsea etc. It's a relatively small island isn't it?. You simply couldn't eradicate grey's on the mainland without introducing some kind of biological control. I wasn't commenting on the ethics, just trying to be pragmatic

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 10 8:14 pm Post subject:
Some were discussing a mixy type control/eradication-not in any seriousness though.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 10 5:34 am Post subject:
Its probably a much bigger piece of land than you think Dan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Anglesey

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 10 5:35 am Post subject:

Bernie66 wrote:

Some were discussing a mixy type control/eradication-not in any seriousness though.

No, not when the red would probably cop for any introduced disease as well.

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 10 6:24 am Post subject:
Agreed, difficult one- maybe we need to eat more of the grey ones

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 10 7:37 am Post subject:

Bernie66 wrote:

Agreed, difficult one- maybe we need to eat more of the grey ones

We can all do our bit to help there, then!

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 10 7:45 am Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

Bernie66 wrote:

Some were discussing a mixy type control/eradication-not in any seriousness though.

No, not when the red would probably cop for any introduced disease as well.

We could just get rid of them both, clean slate if you will, and introduce a new, genetically engineered super-squirrel. Maybe in a nice tasteful pastel pink. And they could turn dayglo yellow after their first year, so that the visually impaired would still be able to shoot them under the terms of the disability discrimination act.

A win all round, really.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 10 9:25 am Post subject:
You're still taking the tablets aren't you ? You should really ask for more.

matt_hooks

Joined: 01 Aug 2010
Posts: 312
Location: Lambourn(ish) Berkshire

Posted: Wed Sep 15, 10 8:40 pm Post subject:

Brownbear wrote:

Bodger wrote:

Bernie66 wrote:

Some were discussing a mixy type control/eradication-not in any seriousness though.

No, not when the red would probably cop for any introduced disease as well.

That's a great idea, except that they would be "genetically modified" then, and people would be irrationally afraid of them and refuse to eat them. Then they'd take over the country and breed with everything in sight. Pretty soon you'd have dayglo labradors and flourescent frogs roaming the countryside. Still, at least the H&S buffs would be happy, as they bred with the human population the need for Hi Vis jackets would be eliminated as man became dayglo himself!

Wood child

Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 45

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 10 6:43 pm Post subject:
Um... When I started this forum, I didn't expect such an emotional response. Who voted against the culling, anyway? And why?

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