"It's perhaps our last chance to change the way we perceive, interact and coexist with, our wild birds. We might be the last generation to have that privilege."
After a long wait, Natural England has finally released the bird control licensing figures. I'm afraid the data is depressing with very many species still suffering at the hands of this controversial organisation. Let's not forget too that they were NOT going to release the detailed data until I pressed them to do so. Back in April, Natural England sent me a copy of what they intended to publish. It was a stripped down summary excluding all the relevant detail. After I told them that it wasn't nearly enough, they delayed publication. I submitted a freedom of information request, they took the matter to Downing Street - and only now do we have the data. Quite a journey just to get some statistics..... So, on to my initial thoughts. Cormorants targeted yet again A quick glance at the statistics suggests that among the species targeted in huge numbers are once again Cormorants with no less than 371 licences issued in a little over a year. Natural England has already encouraged the persecution of the Cormorant over several years in order to protect inland fisheries. It is my belief that no species can survive such sustained persecution. 'Fine dining' threatens Black-headed gulls There are many species that may be experiencing significant population decline due directly to Natural England's licensing system. Though many of the 2020 licences permit action against a small number of birds (suggesting more careful decision making), others still appear to offer a somewhat reckless approach to issuing licences. This includes some amber and red listed species. Black Headed Gulls, for example, besides being under threat from culling due to concerns over air safety, are even more heavily targeted for their eggs, considered a delicacy by the elite. This trade in gull eggs is fuelled by 'fine dining' establishments and it's a highly dubious industry, impacting heavily on the species in order to satisfy the appetites of high society. Is this really appropriate in a civilised country that claims to care about the natural world? Natural England clearly thinks so, as it approved the removal and sale of several thousand eggs last year alone - and this during a pandemic. Large scale extermination of geese Various species of geese appear on the list in large numbers, running into the thousands, these including Greylag Geese, with licences for both their large scale extermination and egg destruction. The destruction of Mute Swan eggs also continues to be approved by Natural England, for example they issued a licence to 'take or destroy' up to 300 eggs to 'conserve flora or fauna' in Wiltshire. The problem of 'air safety' Many other rare and declining species continue to appear on Natural England's now notorious list. Oystercatcher and Curlew are still there, being lethally controlled to preserve air safety, as are red kites and kestrels. The numbers are thankfully comparatively small, though this actually begs another question - why do a handful of airports find the birds a threat while most others seem to be able to cope - without resorting to killing them? Red listed species Air safety is also given as the reason for issuing licences to lethally control Herring Gulls, Rooks, Starlings, Mallards, Lapwing, Great black-backed gull and many many more. All in all, though some of the figures are slightly better than in previous years, I remain appalled at the fact that so many birds are being legally killed and controlled by the state. Natural England is at pains to point out to us the value of the work that it carries out and that the number associated with each of their licences represents the maximum allowed under those licences, but nevertheless they have enabled licence holders to destroy that maximum number, so really that is the only number that counts. Without details of the actual numbers killed, we have no other figures to judge. Indeed, Natural England says that it can't publish the actual return figures "due to the complexity of return information" though they insist that "for all bird licences, annual returns show that the actual numbers affected are significantly less than the numbers covered on the licences." This part of the system remains a little murky to say the least. Natural England has to rely on the honesty and accuracy of licence holders to report their actions - and we can't see these figures anyway "due to the complexity of return information" - whatever that means. If we have any doubt that our concerns are justified, we must remind ourselves that Natural England has also been an accomplice in the mass slaughter of England's badger population and in facilitating HS2 in their destruction of wildlife and habitat. To say that our birds remain under threat from the organisation that claims to 'protect England's nature', is an understatement and I'm afraid that we desperately need a complete rethink before we lose entire species from this country as a direct result of a flawed, clumsy and irresponsible licensing system. We should I suppose acknowledge that Natural England did (eventually) publish the data, allowing us an opportunity to explore the figures. This at least contributes to the transparency promised by the organisation moving forward. But we now have a responsibility to really examine the data and ask questions, flag concerns and collectively work towards reducing the number of licences issued. Every bird saved has the potential to re-build populations of many species that have drastically declined in recent years. Where are the RSPB? Where indeed.... time and again people ask me what the RSPB has been doing in regard to questioning the licences. It would appear to be very little. I've worked hard to secure public access to this data while the RSPB stood back with apparent ambivalence. It should also be noted that the detailed licence data relating to all other animals (aside from birds) is still hidden from the public, with only basic statistics published. This is something that needs to be addressed by those organisations interested in the welfare and protection of other species. Or do they, like the RSPB, expect someone else to do that job for them? Examining the detail I'll be taking a more in depth look at the licences over the coming days and weeks. I would urge you all to do the same (see links at end of post). It will be very depressing reading I'm afraid. Meanwhile, I've captured some screenshots in the video below showing the range of species affected by Natural England's kill licences. Note that these are a small sample of the lethal control licences, and that there were also large numbers of licences issued to destroy the nests and eggs of various species. The only way out of this spiral of species destruction will be a complete overhaul and reassessment of the system and the ethics behind the decision making. It's perhaps our last chance to change the way we perceive, interact and coexist with, our wild birds. We might be the last generation to have that privilege. Link to our petition: HERE Links to the data: HERE
Video soundtrack courtesy of https://orangefreesounds.com/
75 Comments
Caroline
2/7/2021 11:45:42 am
Thank you for your continued effort
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2/7/2021 12:14:51 pm
This is terrible I didn’t know it was as bad as it is it’s disgraceful. They are destroying the world and all its inhabitants that were here before us. Thankyou for your dedication to this problem.
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Irene Kidney
2/7/2021 04:37:51 pm
This organisation is an absolute disgrace and should be banned, they are destroying nature and what makes life beautiful, God’s own creatures. Be ashamed of yourselves, nothing natural about this organisation!
suzanne Bennett
2/7/2021 12:32:51 pm
So very depressing reading🤯
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Irene
2/7/2021 12:58:10 pm
May I add my thanks to Caroline’s also for your wonderful hard work.
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Gary Tuck
2/7/2021 01:55:36 pm
They must now change
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Irene
2/7/2021 07:20:53 pm
I love the new name proposed by Gary - how appropriate would that be!.
Angela Avery
2/7/2021 08:19:24 pm
So angry reading this, it makes you loose your faith in humanity.
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Jen
2/7/2021 10:22:29 pm
Thank you so much for your perseverance in this matter. No wonder Natural England did not want to disclose this information. There is nothing "Natural" about their organisation. They are an absolute disgraceof an organisation and should be closed down and replaced with an organisation that would care about the Natural World.
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Shelley Sullivan
4/7/2021 11:35:49 am
Thankyou for your compassion for birds
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Tony Paterson
4/7/2021 07:23:07 pm
Jason is doing sterling work. How horrifying the abundance of licences to kill birds for avoidable reasons.
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Tricia Edwards
29/7/2021 01:59:15 pm
This is beyond understanding !
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Sophie H
2/7/2021 11:48:03 am
Well done Jason for your perseverance, it is shameful and depressing reading. Nothing natural about Natural England. Again our wildlife is persecuted in the interest of a few. RSPB need to condemn this appalling massacre and campaign alongside you and like minded people to protect birds from this unacceptable persecution.
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Mark H
2/7/2021 05:03:21 pm
The RSPB won't speak out against this as it has the prefix of Royal, and the Royals are part of the problem, they own a lot of shooting Moors, and go hunting themselves! So don't expect the RSPB to say anything!
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Patricia Thompson
2/7/2021 11:49:37 am
As an RSPB member I am horrified at your revelations!
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David
2/7/2021 11:54:33 am
Jason, I applaud you. Keep up your good work.
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Robert Oddie
2/7/2021 12:00:17 pm
Extraordinary work revealing the unbelievable callous attitude to our endangered wildlife by ' Limpet brained ' authorities on the so called need for control !?
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Mark Stanistreet
2/7/2021 12:02:05 pm
The UK spends more money destroying the environment than protecting it. Anybody surprised at that?
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Jimmy Dean
2/7/2021 12:02:58 pm
Many thanks for your efforts in getting the full list published. Not a great reflection on Natural England and their claim to protect nature. I also agree re RSPB. Considering their resources they are hopeless and weak in raising awareness and fighting hard for nature...which needs all the help it can get at the moment.
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Jenni ER
2/7/2021 12:11:35 pm
How sickening this all is. I shall be contacting the RSPB right away. As a member I am horrified that they feel they don't have a role in stopping this unnecessary destruction of these birds. Keep up the good work Jason. Thank you.
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DennisA
3/7/2021 02:03:31 pm
https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/rspb-appoints-beccy-speight-chief-executive/management/article/1584788
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Philip
2/7/2021 12:12:37 pm
Can you hear that Jason?
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2/7/2021 12:13:11 pm
As you point out, it's a clash of systems. Bird populations are being devastated for the sake of air travel. It's come to this: that we are relying on Covid to shut down air travel and the plans for new runways (which also take a toll on the well-being of humans).
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Claire Dingley
2/7/2021 12:14:02 pm
Thank you for all you do and sharing this depressing data. I cannot imagine the trauma to the adults and chick's with all the nest destruction. Heartbreaking
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Dee
2/7/2021 12:14:09 pm
Good luck as always. As a member I will be asking the RSPB exactly what they are doing to protect all bird species and as part of this, how they monitor Natural Englands licences. I fear RSPB is just a nice gentrified charity that doesn't want to rock the boat.
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gordon bamford
2/7/2021 12:18:49 pm
How can killing gods creatures be justified
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Stephen
2/7/2021 12:20:05 pm
Very good work Jason , I have noticed a marked decline in the species of bird you mention and as a country person having seen all sorts of animals in my youth any day of the week am finding it hard to see any animal of any species these days . The human race is undoubtedly to blame and those with the power to make sufficient changes to regain and save our beautiful world are only interested in money and what good will that be when our world is empty of its natural beauty and life .
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Deanne Webb
2/7/2021 12:23:10 pm
Absolutely disgusting, it just makes me cry when I think about the cruelty. How can it be allowed to cull so many birds, when some of the birds listed are on the endangered list, such as starlings. Its a shame we cann't "cull" the decision makers.
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Tricia Wright
2/7/2021 12:24:41 pm
Your efforts on behalf of these species are much appreciated by myself and my family. Please let me know if there is any action we can personally take in the fight against this slaughter.
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Lisa
2/7/2021 12:26:53 pm
Thank you for all your hard work and bringing this to light.
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Stephen
3/7/2021 08:06:04 am
Very well written Lisa , just wish our way of thinking was the majority , our world is in the hands of pen pushers who can't see past the tip of their pen .
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Jane B.
2/7/2021 12:30:46 pm
I'm a member of the RSPB and find their attitude unbelievable, especially when lapwings, curlews & starlings are known to be in decline. They exhort us to feed our little garden birds -- what garden birds ?? This year we have lost all our HOUSE MARTINS, GOLDFINCHES, CHAFFINCHES, BULLFINCHES, LONG-TAILED TITS, STARLINGS and WRENS.
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Daphne Beale
2/7/2021 12:35:02 pm
Thanks Jason. Keep up the good work.
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Rona bridgland
2/7/2021 12:43:18 pm
And we pride ourselves
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Eric Rose
2/7/2021 12:51:34 pm
It's time Natural England was scrapped and replaced by an organisation that actually cared for our wildlife. As usual the interests of money far outways nature conservation, also the RSPB are not worthy of their title. I cancelled my membership quite a while ago precisely for that reason.
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Dix Schofield
2/7/2021 12:53:09 pm
Yet again, hats-off and a big thanks to you Jason
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Deborah O'Reilly
2/7/2021 12:56:16 pm
The difference between the government, QUANGO's and NGO's rhetoric and what is sanctioned on the ground is so great as to raise suspicions. What is going on? It seems like a scorched earth policy, shrouded in Orwellian double-speak. RSPB members need to lobby them about their silence. I left them some while back as they sem to be, like so many other institutions, "missing in action".
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Kathy Farrell
2/7/2021 12:57:38 pm
Thank you so much for what you are doing, Jason. This is dreadful to read. I am appalled by the shooting licences saying "Kill, Injure or Take". How inhumane to leave a bird suffering through injury. Natural England are a disgrace!
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Mary Ann Bridget Constan Pledge
2/7/2021 01:03:56 pm
This news is very disturbing ; no wonder they are so reluctant to publish!
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William
2/7/2021 01:06:05 pm
Ignorance? Indifference? Knowing no better? Culturally acceptable? It was a different time. Words and terms I have read and heard used to defend slavers, and those who profited from the ‘Trade’. A culture of such brutality and cruelty against our own kind.
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IAN SHERFIELD
2/7/2021 01:06:37 pm
With the decline in virtually all bird species and that many shooters kill birds with or without licences there is no need to issue licences which effectively give authority to slaughter birds carte- blanche. There is no means of realistically regulating, checking or controlling the slaughter.
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Sharon Smithen
2/7/2021 01:13:48 pm
I don't understand, 'Natural England' why do they use this title, they are destroying natural england. Corruption and money must be involved here somewhere, I can't believe there is any other reason for it. Shame on the people that make these ridiculous decissions. By the way Natural England...Wildlife does not belong to you so why do you think you can sneakily take our wildlife away from everyone!!! sorry I am livid and disgusted as I know you all are..Keep up the good work Jason and I will support as much and wherever possible.
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Malcolm Dean
2/7/2021 01:37:30 pm
Horrific reading!
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Sandy
2/7/2021 01:45:58 pm
Its sounds to me that Natural England are systematically destroying the nature it should protect. They should change their name to reflect what they allowed e.g Nature Clearance
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Richard Crow
2/7/2021 01:51:20 pm
Once again is down to a concerned Individual as in the MP's expenses scandal to force the release of information that should never be hidden in the first place. Far from an open society we seem to be one as opaque as any non-democratic regime. Thank God individuals who won't rest until real answers are provided like yourself Jason, exist. The public often do really care and are outraged when they know the facts. The assumption we can trust government and quangos like Natural England ( a title that would do justice to Orwell's satire in 1984 of the names of ministries) is totally misplaced. Someone like yourself should be the people's respresentative on their committees able to directly influence them. Who are they anyway? Again all power to you and the fight for genuine acccountability and in the case of wildlife some genuine protective action.
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DennisA
3/7/2021 02:10:22 pm
This is from 2012 so will be more now, 9 regions:
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Marian
2/7/2021 02:09:51 pm
Keep up the pressure. I had no idea that "Natural England" was anything but. What a sham.
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Penio Bobev
2/7/2021 02:18:21 pm
Hello Jason,
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Alan Morriss
2/7/2021 02:23:00 pm
It seems that Natural England is in the pay of the Hunting and shooting fraternity.
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jackie
2/7/2021 02:38:00 pm
So grateful for your tireless work in this arena. It seems that mankind will not be happy until there is not a bird or beast on the land, in the air, or in the sea.
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Laura
2/7/2021 03:42:30 pm
You deserve a medal or an honour for the work you are doing but as you are neither a government crony nor a popular celebrity you do not qualify. But your followers appreciate you and so would the birds if they knew.
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2/7/2021 03:49:34 pm
Thank you Jason. It is the "same Old" at work again & it will never change. Jobs for the boys & high paid positions with pensions = no experience or interest needed.
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Carole Rogers
2/7/2021 04:23:19 pm
It's dreadful. No wonder species are declining. Natural England should be ashamed. One solution, as mentioned above, is ban airguns. Thank you Jason for all your hard work in this matter, the fight must go on and we are behind you.
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M T Connor
2/7/2021 04:27:04 pm
How dare they call themselves "Natural England" ? There is nothing natural about their behaviour at all . "Barbaric England" would be a better name !
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Tony Brittain
2/7/2021 04:33:30 pm
I'm sickened, sad and in despair. I talk about this issue with work colleagues and social acquaintances and it's met with complete indifference. People are generally unmoved by the plight of any animal and knowing that only public pressure will change things, I'm left without hope.
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Simon George Spratt
2/7/2021 04:58:27 pm
This is nothing short of a scandal on which to bring down the current Government!! Hand them to an opposition party and we’ll soon see these so called Conservatives out of power and into the political wilderness!! It will certainly put Boris Johnson out to dry!!
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Gareth Huw Lewis
2/7/2021 05:56:16 pm
I am deeply saddened by the issuing of these licenses for extremely dubious reasons by Natural England. I am even more concerned and indeed horrified when I see species such as Red Kite and Kestrel on the list-silly old me-I thought that they were protected. Not only is the organisation(NE) rotten but lets be honest, it's spineless-yes, lacking courage to stand up to the complete and utter twits who manage airports that cannot cope with raptors in the area-what next! and even bigger twits who want to take Black-headed Gull eggs for the restaurant trade-I know that the poor Cormorants are being targeted but also other lovely species like Goosander-so that other complete twits can catch more fish
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Russell Jackson
2/7/2021 05:59:15 pm
As a Life Member of RSPB I have emailed them to hold them to account over this issue. I’ll comment again when I get a reply.
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Irene
2/7/2021 07:27:32 pm
Well done Russell, I’d be interested in the response from RSPB (if any!)
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Helen Bradley
2/7/2021 07:53:49 pm
Just appalling, gut-wrenching stats - far worse than I imagined. I too will be emailing the RSPB, and if they continue to stand back instead of fighting for our birds I will be terminating my membership (I've been a member for over 40 years). I await their response, but I'm not hopeful.
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Andrew Lee
2/7/2021 11:00:31 pm
My father was a member of the RSPB for longer than I can remember. I signed up when I was a teenager, around 16-17, I am 60 now. If my father were alive today, he would be outraged, all those years supporting a cause that on the face of it, appears not to care too much about the very birds they are supposed to be protecting. They stated a while ago, that we had lost (correct me if I am wrong) 80 % of the bird population of the UK since 1970 or something along those lines. My father was never without his binoculars, wherever he went, they were always in he glove box of the car...I bought him a really nice camera when I was 21, it cost me almost two months salary and I still have that very camera now. I don't use it of course, being a film camera, but I would never sell it or get rid of it, far too many great memories captured with it over the years he was with us
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Helen Bradley
3/7/2021 06:18:19 pm
Andrew, I emailed the RSPB last night and asked for their response. If they have no action planned against Natural England I will be cancelling my membership too. Your father would be rightly outraged, as we all should be. I feel sick to the core.
Wildlife Angels
2/7/2021 08:11:15 pm
Dear Jason
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Sandra Grigg
2/7/2021 08:47:05 pm
Jason you are doing a great job holding NE to account. I'm a member of RSPB and I'll be asking them to put pressure on NE and to explain why they are not supporting your campaign.
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Andrew
2/7/2021 10:25:17 pm
UNNATURAL England. How do you people live with yourselves, seriously. YOU give licenses to people to wipe out animals.. birds / mammals etc., none of which are doing anywhere near the damage humans are doing. These creatures have been on this planet, for millions of years before we came along.... Where are the licenses to kill off a few million people. Oh of course we can't kill people can we, they have rights, despite quite a few of them being total scum who would kill you in the blink of an eye, rob you of your pension and blow it all on drugs and alcohol.. If it wasn't for the fact that human beings are the most over populated, wasteful, polluting, ignorant, evil species on this planet, we wouldn't need as much land on which to build and farm, we wouldn't be robbing countless species of their homes only for them to try their best to live alongside us, due to their being nowhere else left for them to go, which we repay by handing out licenses to a bunch of scum, so they can go out and wipe out a few hundred thousand animals every year, by killing them directly, or destroying their nests and robbing them of their eggs.
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Irene
4/7/2021 03:08:02 pm
I applaud Andrew - his post has echoed my own thoughts & view on the subject of the despicable way our wonderful wildlife is treated… humans are indeed the cruelest animals on our planet.
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Vince
3/7/2021 06:38:04 am
Thank you Jason for your relentless work on this. The big question is how can we change the mind set of people who are killing these animals and birds, most of them will be gamekeepers, councils and so called pest control. I lived in the countryside all my life and have never met a concerned gamekeeper, in fact they only have concern over their pheasants. Its like we live in the dark ages. People with money like to shoot birds that are driven at them in droves all in the name of sport, it's as sick as it could be.
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Lesley
3/7/2021 10:03:08 am
It isn't surprising they dragged their heels about publishing the data, which shows appalling, sustained, brutal and unwarranted attacks on many species of birds, including red-listed ones, who either live on these islands or visit them. Granting these licences, and on such a scale, in the UK derails ecosystems globally. I assume the slaughter is a way of placating big business to maximise their profits, which seems a peculiar way for a publicly-funded organisation to operate. I don't want to fund this sort of thing.
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Christine Wardlow-Kaye
3/7/2021 11:48:22 am
Keep up the good work Jason. Some of the targeted species such as curlews, oyster catchers and lapwings are not abundant species infact curlews are quite rare where I live. I have personally noticed a decline in greylag geese. There used to be many flying over where I live in York but now I rarely see them. We all really do have to try to live with nature rather than to perceive it as a problem.
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Sarah Harding
3/7/2021 02:29:58 pm
Thanks for following this through Jason. You would think from “Natural Englands” Instagram page that they were only doing good deeds, clearly this is not the case.
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kevin Stonebanks
3/7/2021 03:41:28 pm
This is heroic work Jason. I am an RSPB member, and will be asking them a few searching questions today. What a selfish and brutal society we live in. The health of "the economy" seems to be an excuse for every evil deed imaginable.
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Colin Mance
3/7/2021 03:48:43 pm
Yet another reason to despair at the Human Race.
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Doug Simpson
4/7/2021 09:05:51 pm
There is a lot of emotive comment in the responses recorded above. Whilst nobody detests the killing of wildlife more than myself, I suggest that we need to take a step back and look at the background in slightly more detail.
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Keith Dancey
8/7/2021 08:25:34 pm
Well said, Doug.
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Chris
7/7/2021 11:25:28 am
This system of the way licenses to control species are legally issued is an outrage. Talk about hipocracy and theres Boris saying we are going to restore our wildlife and countryside. I am sickened there is no hope.
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