Badgers to be gassed

It would work if you could get every single one of the buggers.

Well, you could leave one.

Not a pregnant one though.

Yes, you can hear them. I did the other morning when I was outside before sunrise. Well, I heard what was probably one of them anyhow.

Is this cull imminent? I would not think so. They can't relocate them right now, because they will be looking for somewhere to hibernate and will not find it in strange surroundings.

Where would they move them to? Everywhere that can support a hedgehog will already have its quota. A lot of those relocated die of starvation, or eat up the resources so that the original resident dies.

If they are all descended from three ancestors, they must have some seriously inbred genes.

It is said to cost £1,000 for each one relocated.

Just putting a few rational points. I don't like the idea of the cull either, but is the alternative feasible?

What I'm wondering, hebridean, is how would anyone know that they were relocated 'safely'? Put somewhere that is deemed suitable for a hedgehog is one thing. Their survival in that place is something else which, without the hedgehog equivalent of ringing or tagging, would be impossible to ascertain.

Unless the hedgehog population of the dumping areas started to grow suddenly.

Seems we made the same point, elegran. Personally, I'd choose a lethal injection over starvation.

An exchange of letters on the cull in South Uist in (I think) 2003. www.thehedgehog.co.uk/cull2.htm from both points of view.

According to locals, not me, this is a public relation thing. Money is made on the Islands with bird watchers and other activities. Rats eat the eggs as do mink and blackbacked seagulls , The poor hedgehogs are just scapegoats

The success/failure of relocation is in the letters.

The black-blacked gulls (greater or lesser, or both?) will be native at least. Not mink and possibly not rats, though probably rats because they tend to go everywhere boats go.

Not very successful as PR, is it. Targetting the rats would make more sense for that.

Elegran they were out 3 nights ago at 11.30pm with their torches opposite my house

Can't you take it up with your local landowner if you object to them being outside your house?

Opposite not outside

Well, opposite is outside isn't it?

They will find that searching for them with torches will send them into hiding where they will never find them.

I take on board all of your comments and I respect all opinions, but I will never agree they should be killed

Are you sure they are killing hedgehogs hebrideanlady? If they are they should be stopped. Haven't you got any police up there?

I actually thought they were poaching the deer that happens a lot and I was going to ring the estate, until I was made aware of what was happening. We do have police somewhere

Carol Ann Duffy's brillant poem

22 Reasons for the Bedroom Tax

Because the Badgers are moving the goalposts.
The Ferrets are bending the rules.
The Weasels are taking the hindmost.
The Otters are downing tools.

The Hedgehogs are changing the game-plan
The Grass-snakes are spitting tacks.

The Squirrels are playing the blame-game.
The Skunks are twisting the facts.

The Pole-cats are upping the ante.
The Foxes are jumping the gun.
The Voles are crashing the party.
The Stoats are dismantling the Sun.

The Rabbits are taking the biscuit.
The Hares are losing the plot.
The Eagles are kicking the bucket.
The Rats are joining the dots.

The Herons are throwing a curveball.
The Shrews are fanning the flames.
The Field mice are sinking the 8-ball.
The Swans are passing the blame.

And the Pheasants are draining the oil from the tank-
but only the Bustards have broken the bank.

when Thoroughly enjoyed that. Marvellous!

Great poem when, conjures up amazing images.

Excellent