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Sandgroper wrote:
This is on a slightly different track to the OP, but my view is when humans remove the natural predators of any species, then it up to us to take the place of those predators and control the prey species - if that means periodic culling, then so be it.

A balance must be maintained - allowing a species' population to grow to such an extent that starvation and/or disease results is not compassion - it's cruelty. For me, this includes any alien (non native) species that poses a threat to the native ecology.

I so agree with that SG, not sure the badger ever had a natural enemy?

meles meles wrote:*reads Sandgroper's post, makes notes*

So, ooman, seeing as you're no longer predated by sabre tooth tigers and so forth, is it okay for us to take on the responsibility of culling you ?

Seeing as we probably drove them to extinction - feel free to try - but given humanities track record, I don't like your chances.

christel wrote:
I so agree with that SG, not sure the badger ever had a natural enemy?

The Vauxhall Vectra seems to be our main predator these days...

christel wrote:

Sandgroper wrote:
This is on a slightly different track to the OP, but my view is when humans remove the natural predators of any species, then it up to us to take the place of those predators and control the prey species - if that means periodic culling, then so be it.

A balance must be maintained - allowing a species' population to grow to such an extent that starvation and/or disease results is not compassion - it's cruelty. For me, this includes any alien (non native) species that poses a threat to the native ecology.

I so agree with that SG, not sure the badger ever had a natural enemy?

I not believe badgers have that many natural enemies - certainly none left (apart from man) in the UK. My best guess, would be that population control would normally be by another method like disease, food supply, seasonal variations etc.

Sandgroper wrote:

Dougan wrote: when it comes to the question of culling animals when they cause us a problem.....as they will never cause us the degree of problems that we cause them, and as we have all the control.....what's wrong with just being compassionate?

This is on a slightly different track to the OP, but my view is when humans remove the natural predators of any species, then it up to us to take the place of those predators and control the prey species - if that means periodic culling, then so be it.

A balance must be maintained - allowing a species' population to grow to such an extent that starvation and/or disease results is not compassion - it's cruelty. For me, this includes any alien (non native) species that poses a threat to the native ecology.

Agreed for 'non-native' but not endemic - Culling can sometimes just leave a 'vacuum' which encourages breeding...

...I read another post recently which said that someone was shooting hundreds of foxes a year, and couldn't understand where they were all coming from ( :roll: ) - a possible solution there, would be to just let 1 population stay and establish it's territory...see if a relationship could be established with it, and only control problem or diseased animals....

....Or, better still, reintroduce their natural predators..... wolves and bears

meles meles wrote:*reads Sandgroper's post, makes notes*

So, ooman, seeing as you're no longer predated by sabre tooth tigers and so forth, is it okay for us to take on the responsibility of culling you ?

I wonder what Malthus would have said?

If he were alive today he'd be spinning in his grave...

Dougan wrote:
Agreed for 'non-native' but not endemic - Culling can sometimes just leave a 'vacuum' which encourages breeding...

...I read another post recently which said that someone was shooting hundreds of foxes a year, and couldn't understand where they were all coming from ( :roll: ) - a possible solution there, would be to just let 1 population stay and establish it's territory...see if a relationship could be established with it, and only control problem or diseased animals....

....Or, better still, reintroduce their natural predators..... wolves and bears

Reintroducing natural predators would be a solution, but I can't honestly see it being taken up. Certainly not to the level that would restore a natural balance.

Culling could encourage breeding, then again, so could starvation caused by a harsh winter and over population. Culling gives us the opportunity to knock a population back quickly to sustainable levels and to manage it into a stable healthy population.

Maintaining a natural balance is what we should be aiming for.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... rissa.html

Seriously what do people think of the proposed cull. I haven't really listened to all the arguments, it seems to have been dragging on for years. I am in favour of a controlled cull. It's not as if they are an endangered species. If after a period of time it makes little or no difference to bovine TB then the cull could be scrapped.

Jenks

Jenks, it's already being discussed mate.

http://109.203.120.4/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9222

Blu