Immigrants threaten locals in Britain!

[Gelion]

It's a fact!

Non-native animals cause rural problems, charity warns

A number of non-native mammal species are damaging the UK countryside by eating crops and threatening wildlife, a conservation charity has warned.

A report by the People's Trust for Endangered Species identified 14 problem species including rats, American mink and muntjac deer.

The trust said some of the creatures have been in the UK for so long, they are thought of as indigenous.

It said it was important to stop the extinction of native species.

Practical action

According to the report, two of the UK's fastest declining native species - the red squirrel and the water vole - which has declined by 90% - are under threat by mammals introduced by humans in the last two centuries.

American minks prey on water voles while grey squirrels, which were introduced to the UK in the 19th century carry the deadly squirrelpox virus and outcompete the native red squirrel when it comes to hunting for food and habitats.

The trust also warned the red-necked wallaby is capable of damaging capercaillie birds on Loch Lomond island, while muntjac deer congregating in high numbers are also accused of being a threat to wildlife.

According to the British Deer Society, muntjac were brought from China to a park in Bedfordshire in the early 20th century.

They spread across the country after they escaped, or were deliberately released, from the park.

Further invasions

People's Trust chief executive Jill Nelson said: "Our campaign to conserve Britain's native mammals is rooted in finding more about each animal's behaviour in response to the various threats they face and translating that knowledge into practical conservation action."

She said the way with how the UK dealt with the problem was a "vital component in preventing their extinction".

The trust said the species can have a negative impact on UK wildlife, landscape and agriculture. This range of problems include carrying disease, breeding with species to produce hybrids and altering the landscape and damaging crops.

The report also warned that global trade and a changing climate could lead to the invasion of more alien species.

Other species to have made the list include house mice and rabbits.

But the report, researched by professor David Macdonald and doctor Dawn Burnham from the University of Oxford Wildlife Conservation Research Unit acknowledged, that while rabbits are mainly seen as a pest, they can also have a positive conservation effect in particular areas where they graze.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8602358.stm

Sustainable native life, what do you think? Should the "historical" ecological balance be preserved?

 

[Traitorfish]

It's not so much "historical" as "stable", I think. Introducing new species can have dramatic, unpredictable effects on an ecosystem. The existing set-up is at least tired and tested.

 

[Cutlass]

I don't think it can be done. A bit at a time, non-native species are making new homes everywhere.

 

[bhsup]

Our birds over here are still trying to recover and learn to cope with the English House Sparrow and European Starling introductions. I can certainly sympathize with the Brits problem with the non-native species. Not sure what, if anything, they can really do about it though if the critters have been there long enough to get a good foothold.

 

[emzie]

Well, frankly, you Brits screwed over a lot of the world's ecosystems to make them "prettier" or so that you might continue barbaric bloodsport, so yeah, suck it up.

 

[Abaddon]

They screwed up when they didn't know better.

Trying to return to a stable environment is good I feel, if hard. Re-introductions are awesome.

 

[Cutlass]

There are plenty of accidental invasive species as well. And plenty from carelessness.

 

[emzie]

They screwed up when they didn't know better.

Trying to return to a stable environment is good I feel, if hard. Re-introductions are awesome.

And the grey squirrel was introduced to Britain by people who knew better?

 

[Shekwan]

A report by the People's Trust for Endangered Species identified 14 problem species including rats, American mink and muntjac deer.

The trust said some of the creatures have been in the UK for so long, they are thought of as indigenous.

Yeah I can identify with the mink problem, they're all over the place here in my hometown.

The town council tried to make a site where they can settle down and stay in one place, where they can be monitored and not cause any problems for locals. Unfortunately its hard to contain them in the allotted sites. Its just in their nature to move from place to place, taking advantage of the next area they choose to populate. Furthermore, once they're settled in an area its next to impossible to move them. Sure, the local council could go in and burn them out, but you'd have a lot of complaints about their so called "rights". The mink population has been established there for 25 years, ruining the habitat and pestering locals.

What I don't get is why they always have a gate or dog to sell to people. Where they keep getting all these gates and dogs is beyond me. Oh and don't get me started about their drinking.

I suppose these issues never have simple, moral solutions.

 

[bhsup]

The mink, seriously, that should be the easiest to deal with. Just shoot them all and turn them into coats and food for the poor.

 

[Abaddon]

Yeah I can identify with the mink problem, they're all over the place here in my hometown.

The town council tried to make a site where they can settle down and stay in one place, where they can be monitored and not cause any problems for locals. Unfortunately its hard to contain them in the allotted sites. Its just in their nature to move from place to place, taking advantage of the next area they choose to populate. Furthermore, once they're settled in an area its next to impossible to move them. Sure, the local council could go in and burn them out, but you'd have a lot of complaints about their so called "rights". The mink population has been established there for 25 years, ruining the habitat and pestering locals.

What I don't get is why they always have a gate or dog to sell to people. Where they keep getting all these gates and dogs is beyond me. Oh and don't get me started about their drinking.

I suppose these issues never have simple, moral solutions.

This post was made with AwesomeSauce.

 

[emzie]

Yeah I can identify with the mink problem, they're all over the place here in my hometown.

The town council tried to make a site where they can settle down and stay in one place, where they can be monitored and not cause any problems for locals. Unfortunately its hard to contain them in the allotted sites. Its just in their nature to move from place to place, taking advantage of the next area they choose to populate. Furthermore, once they're settled in an area its next to impossible to move them. Sure, the local council could go in and burn them out, but you'd have a lot of complaints about their so called "rights". The mink population has been established there for 25 years, ruining the habitat and pestering locals.

What I don't get is why they always have a gate or dog to sell to people. Where they keep getting all these gates and dogs is beyond me. Oh and don't get me started about their drinking.

I suppose these issues never have simple, moral solutions.

Kill them on sight. That's what you do with destructive invasive species.

I mean, look, I absolutely love minks. They're adorable. But if they're destroying a local ecosystem, kill them. I don't think it's often practical to completely eradicate them, but a thorough culling works.

 

[Cutlass]

The mink, seriously, that should be the easiest to deal with. Just shoot them all and turn them into coats and food for the poor.

But then think of all the holes in the coats.

 

[bhsup]

Think of it as fashionable. Supposedly like jeans with holes in them brand new is supposed to be neat

 

[Traitorfish]

Well, frankly, you Brits screwed over a lot of the world's ecosystems to make them "prettier" or so that you might continue barbaric bloodsport, so yeah, suck it up.

You're right, yeah, the Screw Up The World's Ecosystems Act of 1843, that was unanimously voted upon by parliament, itself being elected under a fair and free system of democracy by all adult Britons. Very true.

 

[Cutlass]

Think of it as fashionable. Supposedly like jeans with holes in them brand new is supposed to be neat

Normally fur animals are trapped instead of shot. Makes for better fur.

 

[Formaldehyde]

You call that an invasive wildlife problem?


Link to video.

 

[Shekwan]

The mink, seriously, that should be the easiest to deal with. Just shoot them all and turn them into coats and food for the poor.

Kill them on sight. That's what you do with destructive invasive species.

I mean, look, I absolutely love minks. They're adorable. But if they're destroying a local ecosystem, kill them. I don't think it's often practical to completely eradicate them, but a thorough culling works.

I don't think you North American types understand the mink issue here in Britain and Ireland. This isn't like the Wild West, we don't just go around shooting at our problems. Local government is the moral solution. But, obviously, the issue is that the average mink does not really care what local legislation dictates.

This post was made with AwesomeSauce.

I'm glad somebody else agrees with me on this issue.

 

[bhsup]

What is immoral about shooting an animal???

 

[emzie]

You're right, yeah, the Screw Up The World's Ecosystems Act of 1843, that was unanimously voted upon by parliament, itself being elected under a fair and free system of democracy by all adult Britons. Very true.

And again, I'd ask how many invasive species in Britain were intentionally introduced to screw with the local ecosystem? It was done with just as much ignorance as you lot screwing with the rest of the world.

I don't think you North American types understand the mink issue here in Britain and Ireland. This isn't like the Wild West, we don't just go around shooting at our problems. Local government is the moral solution. But, obviously, the issue is that the average mink does not really care what local legislation dictates.

The issue is you have an invasive species that out-competes the local fauna. You either manage it (culling) or you eradicate it. Well that's not quite true, there's a third option: capture, neuter, release. That's expensive but it's not "mean" But the option where you ignore it and say, "oh look, minks are pretty!" is disastrous. Minks are really cute though. I saw one last month. I wanted to take it home and make it a pet!

What is immoral about shooting an animal???

Same reason my wife finds the idea of culling feral cats abhorrent, even when they destroy bird populations for the hell of it: they're cute and they didn't do anything wrong!