I really do feel I am getting too old fort all of this. Fox research seems so much easier. On Face Book Ju Pepp on the Friends of Western Slopes wrote:
"Let’s give our otters of the slopes safe passage" followed by the news item )see below)
My reply:
Its seriously not just otters either.
As the British Fox Study I set up the Bristol Fox Deaths Register so people could report dead foxes within Bristol and running the Bristol Badger Group I set up similar. Remembering that these are ONLY the reported foxes for 2023 up to 2nd July there have been 151 dead foxes/cubs.
Luckily I do not record deer and other animals. We really need to take an example from Europe where walkways over or under roads are created for wildlife.
However, who will pay for it? Local authorities do not care because they don't worry about wildlife just the money side.
Government? We have a major pro hunt Conservative government that is overseeing the mass culling of badgers (a 'protected' species) over very bad science.
It really needs a big discussion and all persons interested in the Bristol area to take part and pull in local councillors and MPs.
Until everyone can agree that we need to save the vast number of mammals killed on our roads we will just keep seeing the losses..
Ju Pepp responded:
"genuine question…do you think a walkway could be done over the HW?"
My response:
"You'd need to look a6 where the main points of Hartcliffe Way are that otters are getting killed but the first objection would be "traffic hold-ups" (irony there). I think under passes for wildlife is more feasible amd probably cheaper and if the roadside has fencing to prevent otters or other animals killed there running into the road they will find the underpasses. This is why there needs to be serious consultation and study."
The response was: " interesting…I wonder if we could fundraise…"
The news item:
Campaign to save otters being killed when forced to cross busy Bristol road
Tristan Cork
The otter is the face of Bristol's new litter campaign but in South Bristol the real ones are getting killed
An environmental campaigner has asked Bristol City Council to consider moving or replacing a huge metal grill that was installed to stop flooding in South Bristol, but could be inadvertently wiping out the area’s fledgling population of otters.
The giant grill system completely covers the Pigeonhouse Stream as it enters a tunnel under Hartcliffe Way, the main road that connects Bedminster and Hartcliffe. It was installed to stop the tunnel getting clogged up with abandoned supermarket trolleys and other detritus that was stopping the flow of the river so much that it was backing up and flooding roads and homes at the top of Crox Bottom in Hartcliffe.
But since then, otters have been found living in the wildlife haven created by the Pigeonhouse Stream at the Crox Bottom nature reserve - only for at least two to be killed crossing the road
Now, environmental campaigner Vassili Papastavrou has submitted a question for July’s council meeting, asking the Mayor to look into it, after Bristol Live’s inquiries found both Bristol City Council and the Environment Agency said the other was responsible for the issue.
Otters were found in Crox Bottom in a discovery that surprised experts in South Bristol, because of the isolated nature of the river there. But since that discovery, two have been killed on Hartcliffe Way, and it became clear that the otters were crossing the road rather than accessing the tunnel to go between the Western Slopes and Crox Bottom.
Mr Papstavrou is calling on the council to take ownership of the problem, and review whether the grill can be replaced. “It has become apparent that the grill on Pigeon House Stream was too fine to allow an otter to pass through it in order to travel under the road,” he said.
“I have since found an example of an Environment Agency grill in Mousehole with a much greater width between the bars which would allow otters to pass. It is unlikely that Pigeon House stream grill is owned or installed by the Environment Agency as there is no sign stating this so it is likely to be owned by BCC.
“Despite the disturbing deaths of these two otters, and several requests by a number of people including me, nothing has been done in the last six months to address the problem. The current harbourside litter bin campaign states that BCC likes otters but clearly practical measures are needed beyond photos on bins,” he added.
“Can the Mayor now take tangible steps to address mortality of otters on Hartcliffe Way? This may include adjusting the grill on Pigeon House Stream in order that otters can pass under the road and otter fencing to prevent the passage of otters across the road,” he added.
The Mayor is expected to respond to the formal question in the week before July’s full council meeting.
When asked by Bristol Live about the screen, Bristol City Council said it was the Environment Agency's responsibility. "It is the Environment Agency who need contacting as it's not a flood risk or a highways issue," a spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said the screen was not one of theirs. "Many culverted watercourses across Bristol rely on trash screens to prevent blockages which could jeopardise people and property due to flood risk," a spokesperson for the Environment Agency South West said. "This screen is not owned or used by us, but flood risk authorities who manage such assets are mindful of issues like this," they added.
The problem is that no one in authority really cares. A few wild animals are killed on the road, so what? Put the time and effort into an official proposal to make a wildlife underpass or overpass? Before even seriously looking at the cost (unless that is likely to end the matter quickly) of such wildlife corridors there will be other objections: road work would hold up, delay traffic or call for it to be diverted and from that they can push out as many excuses for not carrying out the work as possible.
However, first you have to find the right person and in the right government body to look at the matter. I can tell the reader that after over 40 years of wildlife work I have never been surprised at the way one person can say "contact ---- it's their responsibility" and that person will then deny it is their responsibility but they will forward the matter to someone else. The hope is that you give up hope and drop the matter before they have to be rude and say "I think we've gone as far as we can on this matter. Goodbye"
In 2022 I tried several government bodies as well as Bristol City Council animal welfare about the admitted use of electrical fencing and other devices in an area of Bristol (Staple Hill) to keep otters away from koi carp in garden ponds. After 4 months I still had no answer as to the legality of these electrical devices and eventually I was told my message would be forwarded to another person who would be aware of legislation on the matter. Despite emailing that person three times...no response.
You see I do not just spend my time on sick, injured or dead foxes and their welfare. In fact there is a perfect example of how situations are dealt with there. Bristol City Council in 2021 was all for cooperating on fox deaths (I won't bore with the story again) in the City. However, first mention of rodenticide and secondary poisoning and everything stopped (even though we have only ever had one case of secondary rodenticide poisoning). Everyone stopped responding to calls and emails and everyone denied ever knowing about the subject despite me having all the emails and names. Total no longer responding to calls and emails -what can you do?
Also there were people at Council owned allotments who were concerned that some allotment holders were putting down rodenticide and some hedgehogs had succumbed and it was suspected at least one fox had. They both got the run around and so I got involved. Then came the official reply telling myself and the two original reportees that the matter had now been put into the hands of two council officials who would take "sole control of the matter". But no contact numbers were given and the original reportees were getting nowhere. When I tried I was aske4d who gave me the names as they did not seem to be on any council list. The person I spoke to phoned around quickly but came back with "no one has ever heard of those names before". Total stonewall -the people using the poison on 'rigorously controlled' council allotments carried on.
All of this from a council shouting out loud that it was fighting environmental destruction and declaring itself wildlife friendly. None of the above involved spending any money so what chance would we stand asking for a wildlife walk over or walk under corridor?
Raising funds privately for any wildlife issue is, I know (I really know) impossible. The UK is not a land of animal lovers and unlike Europe the UK is lagging in the dark ages when it comes to wildlife. All these animals get killed off -"We can always reintroduce more" which is the old British solution to extirpated wildlife.
What is the solution? In all honesty I have no idea. The logical thing to do is build safe routes for wildlife but we are not talking about people who think logically but more financially and money is the main thing. So why cause road disruption for a few animals?
It really needs serious discussion as I wrote earlier. Local MPs and councillors not just attending to get a few votes but who will push to help preserve wildlife as best we can and try to get the funds to carry out the necessary work. We can write (I have stumpy fingers now) or phone as much as we want but it takes official backing and money to achieve the goals and at the moment the main fight is concentrated on Bristol's green spaces that developers and the council seem determined to build on.
I wrote that the UK when it comes to wildlife was stuck in the dark ages. In fact the stone age would be more accurate. We need younger and very energetic people to keep pushing and campaigning otherwise we might as well just shrug and give up.
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