The very first Birders Against Wildlife Crime conference was held in Buxton yesterday. It was great!
Chris Packham likened wildlife crime to destroying a work of art.
How would you feel about someone who spray painted and then slashed a Constable painting?
And #haveyouseenhenry ?
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Now convert the man on the Clapham bus to see wildlife crime in the same light!
To many people it is not understood, not cared about, and never even crossed their mind. Wildlife – what protect rats or something wacky?
The point being made was that killing of protected species was a crime and yes there was a recognition that the majority of ‘Clapham rider types’ (ie c.98% public) were not engaged.
It’s easy to criticise but give the guys a chance, you know what they say about offering your boss a solution not a problem – isn’t that where we should all be? We’re most definitely not because some crime is on the increase (despite selective reporting), be it wildlife or other scandals? Your suggestions?
Here’s to Henry & associates and to the next chapter ….
That is not necessarily true.
I regularly commit wildlife crime in my woods and in my opinion the results are beautiful.
When I use my dogs to flush wild deer it’s a wildlife crime for me not to take reasonable steps to shoot them.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but in my subjective opinion a living deer is more beautiful than a dead deer. What makes matters worse is that the court ruled in 2007 that when a herd of deer is flushed enough guns must be deployed to shoot them all.
Now while I accept that mathematics can’t be applied to art and therefore I might be being a bit of a philistine here but when I flush a herd of say ten deer (and I have) the results of not complying with the Hunting Act and not shooting them are ten times more beautiful.
It is certainly ten times more criminal to not shoot ten deer than one in these circumstances.
The truth is wildlife crime can be a terrible thing it can also be a fantastic thing.
When I take my collies down to my woods and flout the Hunting Act the very act of breaking the law is in itself a work of art and should be admired as such.
Where it is ecologically sound and less cruel – and the crime I commit is – we should actively promote wildlife crime. There is nothing wrong with standing up to senseless laws by refusing to kill animals. I have the right not to be cruel and I will continue to uphold that right by breaking the law. This is my civic duty.
Eating game killed by lead shot …. see the FSA Report alluded to in today’s Telegraph.
See also FSA website http://www.food.gov.uk/news-updates/news/2012/5339/lead-shot.
Not sure I understand this, Giles.
Why are you allowing your dogs to chase deer?
I’m using my dogs to flush deer Marian. There’s not much of a chase tbh – they are collies, it’s more akin to livestock herding. I simply walk the dogs into the wood and deer run out – I think you will find this happens all over the country.
The wildlife crime is that I refuse to take reasonable steps to shoot them.
I don’t agree with most wildlife crime but I am afraid where you have badly thought out laws requiring animals killed in such circumstances it’s a nonsense to say all wildlife crime is a bad thing.
The analogy is apt and extends beyond illegal persecution of raptors. When planning decisions such as at Lodge Hill show we have a system that is happy to shove wildlife out of the way it is comparable to sending a bulldozer into the National Gallery.
Agree Jonathan but could it head for Westminster instead? Wonder if the Westminster millstone / white elephant (£3bn repairs) would have folk flocking to its defence? Having said that maybe the 650 + 850 people would?
Dominic Dyer voiced a view yesterday that Natural England were no longer fit for purpose (despite some good staff), factor in failing planning system we need serious reform if wildlife/nature conservation is to stand a chance?
Until there is accountability in law for consequences warned of, then developers and their supporters will continue to secure bonuses whilst we the tax payer picks up the real bill?
Congratulations Mark, epetition has pushed through the 22,000 barrier.
We are humans and we are more important than anything else on the planet and that philosphy will prevail until the evidence it is wrong becomes overwhelming and it is too late to stop the collapse of the ecosystems we’ve shared the planet for the last few millenia.
Just think of us as the catastrophic asteroid that’s already hit. In time the planet will recover and hopefully we’ll not be part of what emerges from our wreckage.