Do you remember our attempt to persuade Cambridge University not to build a new boatyard on valuable wildlife land at Ely (see here, here, here, here)?
Well, we didn’t exactly win that one, but have you noticed that since then Cambridge has lost all three men’s Boat Races? And all three women’s Boat Races? And all the reserve crew Boat Races?
That’s what happens when you mess with wildlife!
But Cambridge does not seemed to have learned from those lessons and is still messing with wildlife according to this report in the Daily Telegraph (which appears to be more or less true rather than a matter of conjecture – how odd!).
I can’t find any odds on next year’s University Boat Race but it looks as though Cambridge is determined to lose again.
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Well, I’m afraid this is one where the ‘other place’ has a big one over your Alma Mater: while Cambridge is planning to bump them off it was Chris Perrins and his team who provided the vital evidence on lead fishing weights through their long term study around Oxford.
‘…the hatching of new baby swans on the river…’ Says it all really.
But we can’t have the activities of tourists in punts, canoeists and Bumps rowers disrupted by breeding native birds, now can we?
This is just an idea, but I think it might work – how about they have their rowing races when the swans aren’t nesting? Simples.
Sounds to me as though this issue could be resolved by the introduction of a simple rule: ‘Anyone too scared to going rowing because of a few of nowty Swans, should go home and grow a pair’.
‘go rowing’….bloody predictive text!
Conservationists need to wise up and manage their stock (rewilding without management is a dream or a nightmare of unexpected consequences, -now where have all my useful hedgehogs gone now that badgers are here).
The like it or lump it brigade are just crass bad PR
I have read the article. There seems to be two issues.
The clash between the race and the main hatching period, which seems to be dealt with by corralling the swans for the duration or forcing a second clutch by oiling the eggs.
Secondly the permanently aggressive individuals. “There is always one that spoils the party” Remove them one way or another, not doing so seems stupid PR. Conservationists need to select for less aggressive stock. Farmers have done it with bulls. Let things get too ridiculous and the vote will be for action and for controlling total numbers.
I am sure it is easy to select for timidity in wild animals the last two or three years I have had Turtle doves here they have been very shy. The result of shooting on the way? Before they sat on the tops of trees, latterly they would shuffle out of sight and call above your head but be invisible.
Sorry Andrew but I don’t agree. Selective breeding of wildlife to breed out some of their more interesting traits would only serve to make the countryside blander and even more over-sanitised.
Bulls are dangerous, swans aren’t. As angler I’ve encountered my fair share of aggressive swans over the years, even though they are very much in the minority. In the worst case scenario a good whack with a stick is usually enough to send them on their way.
I completely agree. Nothing like a bit of training. The post of college “swan wacker” sounds suitably ancient, together with ancient hockey sticks mounted with the life belts for the unarmed.
Whether it would go down well with the rose tinted glasses of the blander members of society and their cats I doubt so I did not pursue it.
Maybe a dose form a “super soaker” water-pistol would do. Great fun for the punters if every boat came armed with one!
Swan battering is not necessary. Just carry a large landing net and point it straight at them – they can’t work out how to get round it. Fortunately they only attack one at a time at the Withies on Blagdon
We, humans, as a terrestrial mammal don’t have any right to use waterways to the detriment of any other species, do we…
NE suggested oiling???? Thought the swans belonged to Her Maj?
Maybe I’ll read this again when I sober!
Oh, ok, got it now. What do GWCT members do before the 12th Aug, go canoeing of course.
Slightly off track. Last year and this Peregrines have nested on the Cambridge University library. I saw one cruising round past the 6th floor of Addenbrookes hospital.
How will oiling eggs and forcing a second clutch make swans less aggressive?