This week saw the launch of a new petition, one aiming to have the Common Raven (Corvus corax) added to the general license – a move that would allow landowners to control (by lethal means) ravens in the same manner as other corvid species.
This species has declined across the length and breadth of Europe, showing a decrease in population size ranging from 1% to 80% between 1990 and 2000.
Deer are a popular topic of conversation in the UK at present with many sources claiming that recent population increases are having a detrimental effect on our woodland ecosystems.
Badgers are now subject to a controversial cull in an effort to halt the spread of bovine tuberculosis, with some arguing that the cull may benefit more than just ailing cattle.
This debate poses a lot of questions and I certainly do not have the answers, though a scan of the available literature gives considerable food for thought.
Deer are never far from the press in recent times; debated tirelessly and inspiring fierce devotion from people both sides of the cull or not to cull divide. Some seek to control deer, to cull them in aid of economic or environmental gains; others to preserve them for sport or out of sheer goodwill.
Consumed by everything from Barn owls and Kestrels to Weasels and Wildcats, voles occupy a pivotal position in the food chain and their abundance has direct implications on the population dynamics of many predatory species.
Of all the species monitored by the BBS, the Willow Tit showcased the greatest decline; 77% between 1994 – 2007
“Conservation cannot come at the expense of local people; local people must be made both partners and beneficiaries in conservation, and not enemies of it“