Saturday, April 02, 2005
Bird of Prey Deaths.
The poisoned birds of prey discovered and investigated in Scotland are only the tip of the iceberg.
The majority of these incidents are undoubtedly carried out by gamekeepers who are generally, and there are exceptions, not the brightest buttons in the box. They prefer to dismiss science as "mumbo-jumbo", and follow "traditional", in other words Victorian, methods of working.
These types manage to hold on to their positions because of the myth that a pair of plus fours and a deerstalker hat mean the wearer has special knowledge that no one else can possibly attain. A bushy beard earns the gamekeeper extra kudos.
I have met too many of them. I've had to work with them, and their only concession to membership of the twentieth century, let alone the twenty first, are the ubiquitous Land Rover and Mitsubishi four wheel drives that they spend most of the year polishing lovingly.
Falling game bird numbers will never be reversed by poisoning, shooting and trapping birds of prey. Until the average gamekeeper recognizes the threats of pollution, global warming, insecticides and his own outdated views, and takes on board the best advice of scientists, nothing is going to improve.
See all recent posts.
The majority of these incidents are undoubtedly carried out by gamekeepers who are generally, and there are exceptions, not the brightest buttons in the box. They prefer to dismiss science as "mumbo-jumbo", and follow "traditional", in other words Victorian, methods of working.
These types manage to hold on to their positions because of the myth that a pair of plus fours and a deerstalker hat mean the wearer has special knowledge that no one else can possibly attain. A bushy beard earns the gamekeeper extra kudos.
I have met too many of them. I've had to work with them, and their only concession to membership of the twentieth century, let alone the twenty first, are the ubiquitous Land Rover and Mitsubishi four wheel drives that they spend most of the year polishing lovingly.
Falling game bird numbers will never be reversed by poisoning, shooting and trapping birds of prey. Until the average gamekeeper recognizes the threats of pollution, global warming, insecticides and his own outdated views, and takes on board the best advice of scientists, nothing is going to improve.
See all recent posts.
© Colcam 2005-2007
