Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Open Season on Parakeets?

Natural England has issued revised rules that means anyone troubled by Ring Necked Parakeets has permission to kill them with a shotgun or rifle, or trap them in a cage or net. Their eggs and nests may also be destroyed.

Natural England insisted this is not a call to arms:

You have got to have good reason to get rid of them, and you have to demonstrate the damage they cause. It doesn’t mean anyone can take pot shots at parakeets in parks. The dispatch can only be done by the land owner or someone authorised.


Some other species have been added to the list and these are monk parakeets, Canada geese and Egyptian geese. These join Rooks, Magpie and Crows.

Two native species have been removed from the list, these are Herring Gull and Greater Black Backed Gulls.

Although some farmers and landowners are concerned they will no longer be able to shoot Greater Black-backed Gulls, which they say threaten poultry and young lambs. They claim it takes too long to fill in a form and apply for special authority.

5 comments:

holdingmoments said...

I'm afraid I just don't agree with any of this. I've got very strong feelings about slaughtering animals/wildlife, just because we see them as 'pests' or 'nuisances'.

ShySongbird said...

I am absolutely with Keith on this Pete, I am disgusted and appalled! Nature has a way of looking after herself without our intervention, once we start to tinker we do so at our own peril. Contrary to what Natural England say I think it will most definitely be 'open season' and some idiots will see it as just a good excuse to take pot shots. It is this sort of mentality which led to Red Kites becoming almost extinct.

Bullfinches were seen as a pest by fruit farmers in the 1950/60s and thousands were trapped annually, this may be partly responsible for their current amber status on the list of endangered species.

I know Parakeets, Canada Geese etc are non native species but in my opinion if they are able to live and survive here then they should be allowed to do so.

OK end of rant! I think I need to lay down in a darkened room now ;)

Tricia Ryder said...

Words fail me. I'd read about this and am infuriated. I'd be the first to comment on their raucous noise especially in the spring and summer and yes they do affect crops but.....

This is NO REASON whatsoever to kill them - any more than any other wildlife. As SS says, they are non-native but if we removed everything non native from our country we'd be the poorer for it in most cases!!

oldcrow61 said...

I too am infuriated even though I don't live there. This thinking seems to be prevalent everywhere. It makes me sick at heart.

Jan said...

I only just got around to catching up on blogs, and didn't know about any of this. I am utterly disgusted as you can imagine. I withdrew my membership of the RSPB when they decided to cull the Ruddy Duck and told them why when they asked. Grrrrr. Too mad to put anything else constructive now.

Blog Status

If you want to use any photos on this blog please see this link.