“we've had enough of being bullied and blamed for what is a human problem” said a spokesbird for the gulls...
Okay so I've got your attention now but although the headline might be tongue in cheek, the message is deadly serious. Peoples' intolerance of urban wildlife has reached such idiotic levels that gulls, (and any other creatures unfortunate enough to share a habitat with humans), are being vilified for the most ridiculous of reasons. Ignorant residents of coastal towns and cities across the UK, are calling on their local councils to address what they describe as the 'problem' of gulls. Those complaining say that the birds are not only 'noisy and messy', but they also describe their encounters with the gulls as 'terrifying' ordeals, some even claiming that the birds are 'sadistic'. Hysterical residents have reportedly been 'dive-bombed' when eating food and many are also whining about lack of sleep due to the 'constant screeching' of the menacing birds. Hmm. Noisy, messy, sadistic, constant screeching.....all of this, one might suggest, could equally describe much of the human population. Last year, in a poll for the Times newspaper, a mind-boggling four out of five people in the UK supported a cull to control the seagull 'nuisance'. If the figures are accurate then it's a shameful reflection on the British public. Such obnoxious attitudes are prevalent across the country wherever there are gulls - and it's not only gulls - pigeons too are also targets for irrational resentment. A quick Google search reveals that unenlightened points of view are very widespread, gulls being frequently referred to as 'dangerous, filthy, nasty, aggressive and raucous'. Again one might say very human traits. Look, people of Britain, it's not rocket science, if you don't like seagulls then don't live by the sea. And if you don't care for dive-bombing birds then maybe try eating your fast-food indoors – or better still buy some for our feathered friends (there's nothing more rewarding than feeding birds, it's delightfully therapeutic, try it). And perhaps think about disposing of your burger and crisp wrappers in a responsible manner so that gulls and pigeons don't have to pick up after you. Why not celebrate the fact that you actually have wildlife, appreciate it and accommodate it. In a world where urban wildlife is being lost at breakneck speed, it should be treasured, not despised. In conclusion, if you don't want to be ridiculed then don't be ridiculous about our native urban wildlife. Animals and birds are unbelievably tolerant of human beings, let's take a lesson from them and maybe, just maybe, one day we can learn to appreciate them and value them. Before it's too late.
16 Comments
clare elliott
1/2/2018 06:26:01 am
quite right-its like weeds-they are simply plants in inconvenient places....personally,I adore any living thing that isn't human-human presence is the only thing that really bothers me!
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Ken Humphries
3/2/2018 10:45:08 am
Whilst I agree with your comments concerning weeds, I will do my very best to ensure that our paths never cross. I would hate to be the one to cause you bother.
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dion.fitzgerald
1/2/2018 07:58:49 am
Disgusting creatures, they're everywhere littering, breed like rats and take over wher ever they colonise and yes I am referring to humans.
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Debbie Macmillan
1/12/2018 05:28:00 pm
Totally agree. I was thinking the same as I started reading your comment!
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Lee Hyder
23/7/2019 10:10:21 am
I totally agree that humans are disgusting creatures and Seagulls, although noisy are only trying to eat. My question is, is, will we be culling the Chav any time soon, cull migrants when cross our borders and create a nuisance to our lorry drivers, when the Junkies break into our homes, when the gangs of criminals mug us, stab us, commit heinous crimes and hurt pensioners, fill our beautiful country with drugs and counterfeit items, have wars with other countries that we have no say in killing and injuring millions of innocents, not with fish and chips but grenades, chemicals, gases and bombs, fight each other over religion, get drunk and create havoc in our streets... when we will we be rid of these pests?? LEAVE NATURE ALONE !!!!!!
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Caro Parry
1/2/2018 09:50:00 am
Brilliant. Human rubbish attracts many creatures like gulls, foxes and rats and folk then get disgusted by those who clean up after them. Get real guys, wild animals are so much more clever than we know!
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Janet Lomax
1/2/2018 11:36:32 am
A very good article which skilfully uses humour to make some very valid arguments.I find it very disturbing that the human race is becoming increasingly intolerant and sadistic not only to other species; but also to other human beings! Anyone who doesn't fit in with the accepted" norm " of behaviour etc is seen as a problem to be "eradicated".In similar manner; any creature regarded by the ignorant masses as " troublesome" is greeted with equal hostility and negativity.To my mind, we are rapidly becoming a country of heartless fascists.Shame on people who want to exterminate our fascinating and unique wildlife.
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Cate
1/2/2018 12:47:07 pm
Hi Jason I agree with you except that herring gulls and LBBGs' 'assertiveness' (ie trying to grab food from people) is caused by half of the population feeding them. They learn to associate people with food. The other half of the population don't feed them and are not sympathetic when they approach people for food. As these people are not likely to change their point of view & creating a dependency on people is not in the birds' long term interests (inflates the population & therefore magnifies the problem of seagulls 'harassing’ people, which in turn leads to more people demanding control measures. Taming wild animals by feeding them would seem to be a very selfish thing to do to me as in the end it puts them at risk. The more wild animals come into urban areas the more they are likely to be run over, shot, culled, end up with no feet, catch disease due to high population density, etc. It’s the same with wild boar I was told by the Wildlife Trust in the Forest of Dean, half of the local people feed them which lures them into gardens and the other half don’t like them coming into closer contact and support a cull. I love seagulls and all birds too but I think the kindest thing we can do is allow them to be wild.
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Misty Hay
3/2/2018 09:01:47 am
Good article I found on Facebook shared by In Defense of Animals.
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Susan Rushworth
3/2/2018 09:57:35 am
I love the sound of Gulls in fact, when we had Holiday Flats there was one Gull that, on a Saturday (change over) he/she would wait for me in the drive then, it would wait on a ledge halfway up stairs and knock on the window when it saw me! I now live away from the coast but close to a tip where, the sound of the Gulls is heavenly. We have our own resident Pigeon (wood) . Humans have to learn respect for all wildlife and remember that many of us live where at one time was their habitat! Think of all the bushes, trees and the like that were taken away to build our homes!
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Debbie Macmillan
3/2/2018 07:02:17 pm
Great article re. gulls and completely correct! Having read your previous articles about both pigeons and seagulls and also re. the cruel Spanish 'sport' of using pigeons fired from a cannon to be shot at, I feel that all these cruel and completely insensitive humans should be culled!! :(
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6/2/2018 11:15:56 pm
Very well put! Humans have moved in and taken the Gulls habitat. Constructing 'Gull proof' barriers on their property's etc to stop them from nesting. As you say, hysteria and absolute ignorance of these beautiful creatures. They project their own negative traits onto Gulls - scapegoating them. The seas have been overfished and the gulls have come inland. I feel so sad as I watch them eating the rubbish out of our bins...I'm working on a project about Gulls. Thanks, Jenny
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Annie Beal
12/2/2018 09:29:02 pm
Seagulls are so sensible and intelligent and I’m not surprised that they are finally demanding a cull of idiotic people. Gulls are clean, beautiful and they help keep our filthy streets clean of all the litter of food that people throw everywhere. I totally love them, I spend time with them everyday and they have never once caused me any problems. I feel so sad when I see them stoned, kicked, shot at and hit with sticks. I have even seen people throw food in the road for them so they will get run down by traffic. It’s people who are the nuisance and if they don’t like gulls then I suggest they keep away from the coast
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12/2/2018 11:17:13 pm
Thanks for your comments Annie!
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Sarah Garden
29/6/2018 10:47:29 pm
I love gulls. What disgusts me is the smell of human sewage in the evening, over a large part of the city, dog shit everywhere - especially in little black plastic bags, ugly, stupid, loud humans everywhere with their ugly babies in pushchairs that are built for the SUV-obsessed age, and their waste and inability to put anything in a recycling bin, let alone a bin. They just rock up on the side of the river with a parasol and some grub, then leave plastic bags, cans and wrappers exactly where they sat. If war is declared on gulls I will have reached tipping point, and I'll go in support of the gulls, by any means necessary - possibly including prison.
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Hella Peter
25/2/2019 09:32:35 pm
well said.
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