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Monday 13 January 2003Gamekeepers’ Association Official Joins Growing Row over HedgehogsReproduced from the Oban Times, 9th January 2003The chairman of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association has blamed conservationists for endangering birdlife on the Uists. Alex Hogg responded angrily to claims made by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) that its proposal to cull hedgehogs is the result of six years of research into the impact hedgehogs are having on the island’s bird population. “This is somewhat disingenuous” he said. “The damage was recognised by a local gamekeeper and landowner as far back as 1985. At meetings with SNH and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) they pointed out that birdlife was being devastated by the hedgehogs and something had to be done. “The two organisations chose to ignore the advice and instead spent the next 17 years conducting experiments that proved the obvious. When they could no longer ignore the facts and had to concede there was a serious problem, they still did nothing. “Perhaps they were more concerned with the publics’ reaction to a cull. At no time were the keepers consulted about the problems. Their advice was never sought and neither was their assistance. “SNH could not even catch the hedgehogs and was too proud, too stubborn or just plain bigoted to approach the keepers who could have helped solve the problem.” Mr Hogg said gamekeepers had successfully culled hooded crow, the main predator on the islands before hedgehogs arrived. SNH and RSPB took credit whenever bird numbers rose but blamed others when they fell. “Left to these two, all the birds would be in danger of being wiped out” said Mr Hogg. “The RSPB and SNH continue to be seen as experts in a situation they have allowed to develop and has resulted in the mess facing Uist birds today”.
Land-Care Editorial NoteIt is understood that four hedgehogs were taken over to the Island of Uist in 1974 by private persons wanting to reduce the number of undesirable insects and other pests in their garden. Prior to that there were no hedgehogs on Uist. The number of hedgehogs requiring to be culled or otherwise removed is of the order of 5000. SNH’s estimate of the cost of doing so apparently runs into many thousands of pounds. In spite of the prickles mating between hedgehogs seems to be pretty successful. By all accounts SNH seems to have got the gamekeepers' prickles up, and those of other people too (1, 2).
References1. Mitchell, I. (2001). Isles of the West: A Hebridean Voyage. Birlinn Limited. (ISBN: 184158150X). 2. People Too launch their website - www.peopletoo.org - aimed at defending local democracy from centralisd bureaucrazy in rural Scotland. Land-Care. (Click here to view). |