Today I have asked Natural England if they will consider suspending the issuing of licences to kill Herring Gulls.
"It would be prudent to suspend the issuing of further licences" The population of this iconic species has been in free-fall for several years, its numbers having dropped by up to 82% across the UK and Ireland according to some estimates. With this in mind, I have asked the Operations Director at Natural England if the agency would consider an urgent rethink over the lethal control of the species - and a suspension in granting licences to kill the birds. I have suggested that "In the light of these statistics, I feel that it would be prudent to suspend the issuing of further licences to kill Herring Gulls..." Hysteria in the press There have been some irresponsible, over the top, media reports in recent weeks which have encouraged the already widespread and unwarranted disdain for the birds and my fear is that Natural England, and their counterparts in other countries of the UK, might respond to this hysteria by caving in to demand from local councils and others by issuing kill licences - when in fact educating the public, along with a more intelligent approach by local authorities, would be more appropriate. Any problems perceived to be caused by Herring Gulls are more likely to be due to littering by members of the public, mismanagement by local councils and a general lack of understanding about the behaviour of this once treasured species. Massive Numbers Of Herring Gulls Targeted I recently reported that Natural England granted permission to kill 7000 Herring Gulls over a period of just two years. I have asked them for an explanation of these licences and I'm due to hear from them regarding this matter within the next few days. Meanwhile I feel it is critically important to ensure that no further lethal control licences are granted to kill this species, at least until such time as a thorough re-assessment of the population has been undertaken and verified by an independent body. I'll update further when I have a response from Natural England.
17 Comments
Joyce Grant
30/6/2019 03:07:45 pm
Stop it
Reply
Mark Brown
30/6/2019 04:00:22 pm
Who's ever idea this is I hope someone shoots them, just leave nature alone.
Reply
Ann-Marie Simpson
1/7/2019 01:29:06 pm
I totally agree. It is us humans that have sucked the gulls' food from the sea by our over-population and over-eating. They only come in and and 'annoy' us because they are starving.
Reply
Julie
1/7/2019 04:31:57 pm
Spot on Ann-Marie. This is exactly what is happening.
Dee Gray
30/6/2019 03:13:18 pm
I live in a seaside town in North England and have seen the population decimated. First we over fish their food supply and then there are intermittent but consistent front page spreads in the local press with such comments as 'rats of the sky'. When they defend their young they are said to be 'attacking people'. The Council say they have not culled, but they certainly have - I have a few pairs I have been fondly watching and they have all disappeared (despite their 35 year life span). Absolutely behind you on this - stop culling and stop targeting these birds with abuse in the press!
Reply
Cheryl Olson
30/6/2019 03:19:58 pm
I live in Cornwall and I love these birds. They come and sit outside on my table every day. They do swoop during baby chick season but it's just because they are being protective of their young. I have never seen them attack anyone in the 5 years that I have lived here. This business of allowing people to cull them is so sad and we should do everything we can to prevent it.
Reply
Mrs Trish Newham
30/6/2019 03:22:30 pm
Thanks Jason for continuing to pursue this with Natural England and continuing to ask them pertinent questions. Sadly, I doubt you will get a sensible answer, or an honest one from them. I hope that further licences are not provided to kill these iconic birds. The media are the scum of the earth in the way they report incorrectly and irresponsibly across a wide variety of subjects. It's a great shame that with and/or without the additional negative and emotive reporting on these birds by the media many people have no knowledge of the wider natural world and see any part of it that doesn't comply with their view of life as fit for destruction by any means and this attitude is particularly distressing in a situation where a creature is so seriously in decline as these birds are. We, as a species so need to change and learn to live with the natural world rather than in spite of it. In terms of Natural England, my view is that they are incompetent and not fit for purpose and a serious review of their practices and business should be conducted urgently. I believe all bird kill licences should cease immediately until such times as this agency is thoroughly investigated and robust structures put in place to stop the indisciminate and unresearched practices they currently have.
Reply
Annette
30/6/2019 05:51:25 pm
Just to say that I couldn't agree more with you on all of your points.
Reply
Brian Hutchings
30/6/2019 10:10:36 pm
Hi Trish, I so agree with you on all that you say. I can never understand why humans as one species amongst many others, can kill and destroy any other species just because they think that they are pests and are a nucience. The biggest pests on this planet are in fact the humans, their the ones that should be culled.
Reply
Paul Fletcher
1/7/2019 09:32:15 am
Totally agree 100%
Angela Hollingsworth
30/6/2019 03:35:47 pm
I have been horrified for some years at the callous treatment of these intelligent birds . I live in whitby and had to take one gull with a fish hook stuck in its beak to local rescue centre - I had already taken its mate which had been shot in the leg - That one never returned. I cant understand how cruel/ignorant our so called humanity still is . If there is any further action that I can support I would-be happy to do do
Reply
geraldine rowland
30/6/2019 03:36:28 pm
I have regular gull visitors that I feed all year round. they bring me their chicks and they sit on the roof and peep incessantly and it is gorgeous to watch them develop into adults. I was a bit aghast when the first thing a new neighbour did was to put spikes up on his chimney to stop them sitting there - supposedly to stop bird poo! I notice fewer and fewer when I visit seaside towns and I am saddened by that as a life long gull lover. It seems people only want to watch wild life on the tele as the locals around me make no attempt to attract wildlife in any way. I can see a time when only human beings exist on this planet and that saddens me. To kill any wildlife is a tragedy and to kill a declining specie and possibly bring them to the brink of extinction or to actual extinction is beyond belief. This MUST be halted immediately.
Reply
Annette
30/6/2019 05:56:31 pm
Very well said.
Reply
Wayne Barnes
30/6/2019 08:16:56 pm
Good luck with getting a reply from these guys.I emailed them 2 weeks ago asking for advice as my company I work for destroyed nests and eggs of Lesser black backed gulls and black headed gulls,i asked to see the licence they replied yes I can after waiting for 2 weeks they told me they didn't need one hence I asked these guys for advice....still awaiting reply,thankfully I emailed the RSPB the same email and they replied within 5 days
Reply
30/6/2019 09:21:27 pm
I am so glad to see some support for the much-maligned seagull (of any sort), I seem to be in a minority of one, and no one will agree with me that these birds are not aggressive, but on the contrary, friendly and rather fun. If they 'attack', they have a reason - either you are eating something they fancy or you are too near a nest. If you flap and shriek at them, they will see themselves as under attack and will react accordingly. A little research will reveal the true nature of gulls. In my small estuary town, they are regarded with tolerance, and people can often be seen feeding them. The birds wait patiently and no one is ever 'attacked'. (I have just read that Bath council complains that gulls leave litter. The only answer to that is - who has done most damage to the planet, us or them? We leave the litter out; whatever gulls leave behind is biodegradable.)
Reply
Simona
1/7/2019 03:10:27 am
Given there have recently been several serious cases of seemingly unnecessary damage and destruction to wildlife and nature, the question arises, are the cases linked in any way.
Reply
Judith
1/7/2019 07:48:58 am
This is a very well reasoned statement. I have not previously seen any strong objections to the introduction of 5G, does this need a separate petition asking for a review of the benefits of 5G?
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
If you appreciate what I write about, please consider showing your support by buying me a virtual coffee!
Click the button below! Thanks :) Archives
July 2023
|