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Brown Bears and red squirrels
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Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Shooting and Trapping for the Pot

Should grey squirrels be culled to allow for red squirrels?
Yes
80%
 80%  [ 38 ]
No
19%
 19%  [ 9 ]
Total Votes : 47

Author 
 Message
dan1



Joined: 23 Jun 2010
Posts: 102
Location: Bristolish
PostPosted: Tue Sep 07, 10 1:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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

PostPosted: Tue Sep 07, 10 2:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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
PostPosted: Tue Sep 07, 10 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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
PostPosted: Tue Sep 07, 10 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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

Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 10 5:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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

PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 10 5:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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
PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 10 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 10 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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
PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 10 7:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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

PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 10 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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
PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 10 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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.


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.


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

PostPosted: Mon Dec 06, 10 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

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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