25-02-2019, 05:50 PM
211
Re: Squirrels are great.
I read a few days ago, about the greys killing the reds and what they are now planning to try and get a return of the reds.Here's part of the article:
" You might think that trapping the greys, then releasing them elsewhere is the kindest thing to do, But once they are caught, squirrels (by law) must be dispatched as the non-native grey squirrels cause damage to indigenous wildlife.
"And let's face it, they already have.
Red squirrels that once lived happily in our woods have been driven out by greys that give birth to more 'kits' per year (two clutches) and are far bigger.
Not only do they menace reds and drive them from their homes, but they also carry a virus called Squirrel Pox, that kills off the reds.
" However, the fortunes of these quabbling squirrels are about to change, thanks to a contraceptive that will beuter the promiscuous fluffy grey fiends - allowing the reds to return.
"Boffins from the government's Animal & Plant Health Agency in Wenslydale, N.Yorkshire, have ingeniously laced the grey's favourite snack - peanut butter paste - with a hormone that will cleverlery make the females infertile for up to two seasons.
It is hoped that this birth control will reduce their numbers by up to 70%.
This is important, as greys not only inflict millions of pounds worth of damage on commercial forests, and wound broadleaf woodlands badly, they also steal birds eggs, bird food, and bulbs from gardens.
"This reduction might just be enough to allow the less harmful red squirrels to make a comeback."
*
So there you are Mr. F. plans are under way it seems.
25-02-2019, 05:54 PM
212
Re: Squirrels are great.
Originally Posted by Mups
->
I read a few days ago, about the greys killing the reds and what they are now planning to try and get a return of the reds.Here's part of the article:
" You might think that trapping the greys, then releasing them elsewhere is the kindest thing to do, But once they are caught, squirrels (by law) must be dispatched as the non-native grey squirrels cause damage to indigenous wildlife.
"And let's face it, they already have.
Red squirrels that once lived happily in our woods have been driven out by greys that give birth to more 'kits' per year (two clutches) and are far bigger.
Not only do they menace reds and drive them from their homes, but they also carry a virus called Squirrel Pox, that kills off the reds.
" However, the fortunes of these quabbling squirrels are about to change, thanks to a contraceptive that will beuter the promiscuous fluffy grey fiends - allowing the reds to return.
"Boffins from the government's Animal & Plant Health Agency in Wenslydale, N.Yorkshire, have ingeniously laced the grey's favourite snack - peanut butter paste - with a hormone that will cleverlery make the females infertile for up to two seasons.
It is hoped that this birth control will reduce their numbers by up to 70%.
This is important, as greys not only inflict millions of pounds worth of damage on commercial forests, and wound broadleaf woodlands badly, they also steal birds eggs, bird food, and bulbs from gardens.
"This reduction might just be enough to allow the less harmful red squirrels to make a comeback."
*
So there you are Mr. F. plans are under way it seems.
26-02-2019, 07:45 AM
214
Re: Squirrels are great.
Originally Posted by Mups
->
Do you not approve of trying to help the reds survive too?
And how prey can that be achieved.? I believe that only on one small island in the Atlantic has it been successful in the removal of an alien species that was threatening the survival of ground nesting sea birds by killing the alien species and it took quite a long time.
26-02-2019, 12:52 PM
215
Re: Squirrels are great.
Sorry Mr. Fraggle, but I did not think it a bizarre question at all.I simply asked because I can see you are very fond of the greys, but you seemed so unipressed when I said people were trying to help the reds as well.
Anyway, they are not killing greys at all, merely trying to control breeding in a humane way by making them less fertile for a period of time.
That's all I was saying.
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