Badger Watching

[TrimTheKing]

Again, another short-sighted comment. Remember that I said it has taken billions of years to develop the existing control mechanisms - the hysteresis of mother nature works well beyond our life-cycle so it could take a millennia for those mechanisms to 'kick-in' and control the squirrel/magpie populations. We are simply temporary observers on this old, old rock.

I don't really want to get into this, but just to pull this one apart, Grey Squirrels are not native to this island, we introduced them, thus they have all but wiped out the natural Reds, and the Greys have no natural predators as such, hence the reason they have run amok.

Do we have 'billions' more years to wait for nature to take its course or should we be dealing with them ourselves...

 

[Digit]

I think you've missed my point. Till Tesco's opened here in Cardigan we had a full range of food shops, now we don't! As you rightly pointed out their purchasing power enables them to dictate terms.
If it takes billions of years for this to happen it would seem to be ineffective as few species survive that long!

I don't hunt or kill for the sake of it.

Neither do I! When we moved here the garden was a soggy barren mess. We have planted numerous trees and shrubs to provide food and shelter for wildlife.
Each year my garden sustains, amongst others, usually two nests of Song Thrushes. Magpies are not declining Song Thrushes are, I provide food and shelter for the Thrushes, not food sources for Magpies.
If it were the other way around I would do what I could to help the Magpies.
Not getting at you, but I get annoyed with people who tap me for money to stop the Grey Squirrel culls then go home and spray insecticide on Greenfly to protect their Roses.
I spent my last school years on a small holding and I suspect that like yourself I learned to kill what stock I was allowed to, but another thing that annoys me, and I suspect you will agree with, is the oft stated idea from some that stockbreeders don't care about their animals.
My dad vanished every time the slaughterman's van turned up!

Roy.

 

[MikeG.]

Hey..............where's my thread gone?

Mike

 

[chris_d]

but just to pull this one apart, Grey Squirrels are not native to this island, we introduced them, thus they have all but wiped out the natural Reds, and the Greys have no natural predators as such, hence the reason they have run amok.

Sorry, I've got to pull that apart now. When we artificially introduced them [greys] we were interrupting the natural order so are you suggesting that to satisfy our own ego we should now control them? For your information, the reason greys are so prevalent is because they have developed (evolved) the ability to digest large seeds from broadleaved trees (in particular, acorns) giving them a competitive advantage over reds in broadleaved and mixed woodland. The greys have superior genetics which ultimately makes the genus stronger! The genus will just be grey rather then red!

Also, there are several birds of prey that eat both red and grey squirrels but mankinds' past destruction of their habitats has reduced their ability to control squirrels. Invasion, extinction and evolution are all elements of a natural environment. Humans are doing exactly what the grey squirrel is doing - controlling areas of land that offer suitable habitat, pushing out all competitors for resources. In other organisms we are quick to consider a simplistic cause and effect, apply labels, mostly with negative connotations that then justify action and invariably this involves humans as judge, jury and killer.

I am not suggesting lack of action but I would like to see a discussion about these short, quick fix solutions humans come up with and how we justify killing 'x' to save 'y'. Similarly, in the name of 'saving salmon' we kill a parasite by wiping out an entire river ecosystem. My gut instinct tells me we need to tread very carefully on such matters and think very deeply about the values upon which we are basing such action.

 

[chris_d]

Sorry Mike!

 

[TrimTheKing]

but just to pull this one apart, Grey Squirrels are not native to this island, we introduced them, thus they have all but wiped out the natural Reds, and the Greys have no natural predators as such, hence the reason they have run amok.

...so are you suggesting that to satisfy our own ego we should now control them?...

Whoooaaahh, easy on the trigger finger there cowboy, where did I say anything of the sort.

Devil's advocate...

...on that note, there is a reason why we are top of the food chain...

:twisted:

 

[Digit]

I'll hold your jackets! :lol:

Roy.

 

[Woodmagnet]

 

[MikeG.]

I'm glad that settled down......

Just a small note to those claiming billions of years of evolution. For most of the 4 billion years that there has been life on the earth it was single celled. Mammals have "only" been around for 65 to 70 million years. Species are currently dying out at a faster rate than at any time in those 70 million years.

Now, does anyone else go badger watching.......?

Mike

 

[thomvic]

Yes Mike

My neighbour and I were watching from 9 till 10 last night. Four adults and 4 youngsters on view for most of that time. We were pretty sure that there were more outside another hole that was out of our view. Wonderful to watch the young ones play - just like pups.

It was light enough to have stayed longer but..............the pub was calling.

Richard

 

[Digit]

Now, does anyone else go badger watching.......?

No! More a case of watching out for them Mike, thus far I've managed never to hit one.
I never ceased to be surprised at how many people locally manage to hit them when driving at night.
There are three Setts within walking distance of my home and damned if know what they all find to eat!
One local farmer grows Maize each year and I understand that Badgers have developed quite a taste for it in recent years.

Roy.

 

[MikeG.]

There are three Setts within walking distance of my home and damned if know what they all find to eat!
Roy.

Mainly earthworms and slugs, Roy, but being omnivores they'll also eat fruit, nuts, and, I learned this week on Springwatch, even baby rabbits.

Whilst they may eat some maize, the biggest detroyer of maize crops are rats. We have lots of maize around here planted mainly as cover for pheasants, and wherever there is a maize crop there is a massive infestation of rats. After harvest, you can sometimes see literally hundreds of rats gathering the fallen seed.

Mike

 

[Digit]

I was aware of what they eat Mike, I am simply surprised that they find sufficient with their population density.
I discussed this with the wild life forum that was mentioned on here some time ago and was surprised to find that they apparently also predate Hedgehogs.
Not that they do that around here as there are no Hedgehogs.

Roy.