20/9/2016

Predation control – two very different debates

Fox -with -a -Rabbit -wwwdavidmasonimagescomBy Andrew Gilruth, GWCT Communications Director

Press debate

Imminent extinctions were being reported in the press headlines after the publication of the 86-page State of Nature 2016 report. The people that feed our growing population, farmers, were presented as the villain. The 36,000-word document mentions the impact of predation five times:

1. Wader birds – by foxes and crows when coniferous woods are planted (p26)
2. Water voles – by mink (p38)
3. Ladybirds – by harlequin ladybirds (p43)
4. Sea birds – by rats (p48)
5. Caribbean wildlife – by cats, rats and pigs (p62)

The report also includes:

a) What has caused the declines – which translates to ‘who to blame’, while avoiding conservationists being asked any tricky questions (p12)
b) The authors would like more taxpayers’ money (who would not) – yet offers little detail about what should be done differently to avoid getting the same result next time (p14)

Sadly, this was a missed opportunity. Causes of decline and factors limiting recovery are not always the same. There is no mention of the first big piece of research into the impact of generalist predators on ground-nesting birds in 1998, nor any of the other more recent studies undertaken by the GWCT.

Had they done so, they would have known that predator control can help reverse the declines of some threatened species. At least The Times was kind enough to publish our letter on this point.

IMG_1850

Westminster debate

The next day, predator control was discussed at the Game & Wildlife APPG at Westminster (more here). The RSPB’s Martin Harper explained that “there is strong evidence that ground-nesting birds, such as waders and gamebirds, can be affected at a population level by predation”, which is why they undertake predator control at 28 RSPB reserves (focusing on foxes and crows), with 14 reserves having predator fences. As a result, the RSPB has “been able to get productivity levels up to some very high levels”.

The committee chair, Sir Nicholas Soames MP, pointed out that, since the panel (which included the GWCT’s Andrew Hoodless and the conservationist Mary Colwell) were all in agreement, “it is going to require new thinking” because “this [low productivity caused by predation] is simply not something we can just allow”. Several MPs expressed frustration at those organisations that understand the science and quietly undertake predator control but are a bit embarrassed to admit it.

Owen Paterson MP pointed out that, while we don’t yet know what’s going to happen in a post-Brexit world, we should be prepared to ensure future agri-environment schemes also include measures that protect threatened species from predators.

In Scotland this has already started. The Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) includes a predator control option that benefits ground-nesting birds such as black grouse and waders, which are vulnerable to predation, by legally controlling crows, foxes, stoats and weasels.

Next steps

The Trust’s long-standing research puts us in a position of great strength. We now know more than we have ever known about managing our countryside for conservation. Years of research give us a great understanding of what does and does not work in the real world, and we will be pushing for that to be included in any post-Brexit conservation measures. You can support this new policy work here.

Donate to this appeal >

Comments

Predator Control

at 17:29 on 20/09/2016 by Desmond Gunner

The RSPB's Martin Harper told the Westminster Debate that 14 Reserves had Fencing to protect Ground Nesting Birds from Foxes. He did not mention the Minsmere fence to protect the Terns Colony from Predator Badgers which had had a devastating effect, shown on TV. I would like to know whether this was successful. Sadly, such fences are expensive and cannot be erected everywhere, so how should these predators be controlled in other places?

Predator control

at 17:21 on 20/09/2016 by Paul Smith

I have been at the sharp end of practical conservation for over 50 years. I have seen a dramatic increase in predators during that time due to human activity and sentiment. Those that ignore this fact are complicit in the demise of the balanced countryside some of us can remember. The GWCT are best placed to present their wealth of evidence that predator control is a vital a part of successful conservation. The RSPB realise this in their heart of hearts, and actually do it to protect their reserves, but they dare not present it as policy.

predator control

at 12:07 on 20/09/2016 by Dave

Sir. Mr Gilruth has hit the nail squarely on the head. In the last five years alone i have noticed a significant decrease in many speicies of ground nesting birds, particulary the grey partridge which has almost vanished from my area apart from some reared and released birds which as usual seem to dwindle away over the seasons. Maybe its my imagination but the greys started to dissapear around the same time as the buzzards landed here like packs of suttka dive bombers! Its the same story with the salmon and sea trout in the estuarys .. goosanders and cormerants hammering the salmon parr, and at the other end of the river 3 miles of bass and salmon nets on every tide taking god knows what. The river ribble in lancashire is a prime example of going from large numbers of salmon in 2010 down to hardly any so far in 2016 Mr D cook

Predator control

at 11:15 on 20/09/2016 by Mike Kettlewell

Predator control is a difficult issue. In wild conditions there is a fine balance between predator and prey that contributes to the evolution of both. The problem is where man interferes and tips the balance. There is no doubt that aggressive, sometimes illegal, predator control on grouse moors increases the yield of grouse to be shot by us. Undisturbed by man, predator and grouse would achieve a viable balance. Modern farming and other human activities, in particular pheasant rearing, favours corvids and foxes and their numbers certainly can affect other vulnerable species and prevent restoration of numbers struggling with intensive farming. The solution is not wasting time disposing of the predators but preventing them accessing their preferred prey. Their numbers will then self limit. When we had outdoor pigs the corvid numbers were huge despite trapping. Getting rid of the pigs and the numbers fell to what the land could support.

Make a comment