The Bank of England has announced the results of a public vote on which four animal species should feature on the back of future banknotes to replace long-dead ‘famous’ people.
In a strange electoral process there were three categories of animal species (perhaps the strangest aspect was that there were no plants and no fungi); mammals, birds and ‘everything else’. The results were somewhat interesting:
The Buff-tailed Bumblebee was the most popular species (although had it been included in the ballot we can be pretty sure that the incredibly similar-looking White-tailed Bumblebee would have split the vote) presumably because lots of people, including me, thought that of the 18 species on offer, I should vote for one of the two insects offered and chose a species that I see regularly over one I haven’t seen for years. As in other elections, you can only choose between the species on the ballot paper.
There are around 75,000 UK species and once the 15,000 fungi, 7,000 flowering plants, 2,000 lichens, 8,000 protists and a few other small groups are removed from the ballot that leaves, roughly, 42,000 animals, of which about 100 are mammals and 600 are birds. The whole process favours the establishment classes of birds and mammals but any resemblance to how democracy works in the UK is entirely accidental (or ingrained?).
Once the public has had its say in the three categories offered, the Bank of England has selected another species, the Puffin, to add to the list, apparently to represent marine species. Puffin was 6th on the list of 18 species.
I was wondering how you would vote, so here is a link to a very simple and anonymous survey – click here – where I ask you to vote for one of the six mammals, one of the six birds and one of the six ‘animals that aren’t birds or mammals’ just like the original survey BUT ALSO simply for the one species from the 18 on offer that you would choose. I’ll be interested in the results.
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I originally voted to suggest persecuted animals (Red Fox, Hen Harrier, Red Grouse, Stoat, Badger etc) on the grounds that the monied classes who regularly slaughter these animals would ‘appreciate’ seeing them lauded on their means of suppression.
But the Establishment filtered out the choices permitted to be put to a so-called ‘democratic’ vote:-( I wonder why?
Wild bank notes are a wonderful opportunity to unleash the hidden – or at least largely ignored – elephant in the room: the abundance of biodiversity in our culture. Wildlife on bank notes now joins wild things all over, from road names and pubs to sports club mascots and nicknames.
For road names, Bicester (Oxfordshire) has one third of its roads connected to nature, with the whole of Oxfordshire having a thousand-plus more. Repeat for every other county. But who wrote with celebratory invitations to the local residents of Osprey Close when this stunning bird bred in Dorset for the first time in 180 years in 2022? Nobody.
Two thirds of the 92 clubs in the football league have links to nature via logos and nicknames. Imagine what would have happened if the morning after winning the European Football Cup our Lionesses had roared “and now lets hear it for our wild sisters!”.
If I may continue with the sports example, this week has seen a predictable engagement with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) criticising Crystal Palace FC for displaying an eagle (their mascot and nickname) at home matches. A good and appropriate criticism but it’s a soft goal, even though PETA are no doubt thrilled by the media coverage.
Instead, think what could happen if nature conservation had creatively reached out to Palace in collaboration, saying “We’d like you to help us champion birds of prey…..”. And challenge all the other clubs with similar mascots ALL OVER THE WORLD. Palace won 3 trophies last year, all for the first time in their history. Their fans are flying high. What an opportunity for nature conservation to think about how to win the game beyond scoring the odd goal.
Ian – thank you! Ever considered a Guest Blog on this subject? If not, then plase do.
I suggested Calocybe gambosa, St.George’s mushroom as a suitably patriotic alternative to Winston Churchill on the fiver.
I’ve refused your survey as there’s no fungi in it!
My grandchildren think it strange that I still carry cash but to me cash is still king.
It’s hilarious to see how putting wildlife on the bank notes in place of ‘great men and women’ has riled up so many politicians and newspaper columnists who apparently think that this somehow erases our history! Personally, I think it is wonderful that wildlife is now getting a turn, though, sadly, I don’t imagine it will make a huge difference to the amount of actual wildlife creeping, flitting, hopping or stalking across the land. It would be nice if, regardless of the design on the bank notes, governments would devote a larger share of the national budget to ensuring that wildlife of all kinds can survive and thrive into the future.