One in Eight

 

Britain's Wild Boars. Wiped Out. Brought Back. Wiped Out and Now Back But.....

 My colleague, LM, is one to find interesting facts and and is constantly searching very old works and archives. For instance LM has acquired a book from 1806: The British Museum; or, Elegant Repository of Natural History vol. II by William Holloway.

And in this book was the statement that wild boar were not native to Briton. This may well be the writing and phrasing of the period and mean that it was not native to Briton in 1806. LMs note read:

"The more ancient the boar … the darker they are .. mostly black points"

This is something LM had suspected for a while and although I did wonder the fact that LM can go to a recognised if rare book and find this information is great for the British Extinct Fauna Project that LM started.

Today we know that wild boar are back in the UK countryside and the "Great Storm of 1987" was blamed for destroying fences, etc and releasing them. The truth is -and I was there running the Exotic Animals Register (EAR)- that a lot of boar were dumped or "had escapes enabled". The exotic meat craze was taking a nose dive and costs rising while feeding and housing the boar by strict guidelines was costly. I found three boar farms where there was no damage to enclosures by storm but some very shady wire snipping.

But rather like the sudden appearance of pairs of European wild cats in the UK countryside from the late 1970s on so there were reports of "shaggy dark pigs" but without a photo or any other solid data the reports were just logged.

A wild boar from the 1806 book British Extinct Fauna Project

Now if you go to the RSPB (Royal Society for the Preservation of Birds) site you will find a feature on wild boar and read:

"Why are wild boar back in the UK?

"Since the 1970s, groups of wild boar have started popping up. We can't be sure whether the first returning boars were escapees from local farms or part of deliberate unregulated releases, but either way, the runaways have successfully made homes in some of the UK’s rural and wooded areas. As a former native species, the hairy wild boar are perfectly prepared for the UK’s chilly climate and can happily breed and find food here."  

https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/rspb-news-stories/the-surprising-return-of-britains-wild-boar/

It is quite obvious, even more so by the mid 1990s, that someone or some group as this was well organised and a well known "open secret" amongst wildlife organisations, had been releasing specific animals in the countryside: wild cats, boar and even beaver and in certain locations even pine martens. If we ever find out who is or was behind this it will be interesting since breeding and even housing, feeding and finding the right locations took a lot of work.

The Sarah Woodbury blog carries an item on wild boar and this part is interesting:

“The wild boar, Sus scrofa, is a native British species. It probably became extinct as a wild species at the end of the 13th century (Yalden 1999). After this date wild boar were maintained for game and as a status symbol by introduction of new stock from France and Germany and through hybridisation with domestic and feral pigs. By the 17th century no wild boar were found in Britain, suggesting that the medieval reintroductions were not successful, possibly because of hunting pressure.”"

https://www.sarahwoodbury.com/the-wild-boar-in-britain/

(c)2023 respective copyright owner

Yes, rather like deer, hares, foxes, red squirrels and a number of other species that hunting wiped out in the mid 1800s (c 1860s) where the dread of losing the 'fun' of hunting and killing resulted in the importation of these species from Europe it was nothing new. In fact the landed gents and huntmasters likely had ancestors who imported for hunting and for private zoos and probably got the "solution" from them.

We see the same pattern though; wild boar wiped out through hunting. Wild boar imported to replenish hunt stock. Wild boar wiped out again. There was, as with foxes, no attempt to let the boar spread and breed it was likely that boar were turned out just before the hunt or with enough time to escape the inevitable fate and "give good chace". It is the same old repetitious pattern over and over.

According to the Woodland Trust  https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/mammals/wild-boar/

"The current UK boar population is derived from captive animals that either escaped or were illegally released. An estimated 2,600 animals are now living wild in several breeding populations. The largest of these is in the Forest of Dean, but wild boar are also present in parts of South East and South West England, South East Wales and North West Scotland."

There is also a post on Rewilding Britain worth reading as it explains the positive effect the boar have on the environment:

 https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/reintroductions-key-species/key-species/wild-boar-pig

(c)2023 resp[ective copyright owner

So boar are back -yippee!  Uh, no, because there are still people wanting to "cull" boar and we know that they are being killed and this has been going on for a long time as shown by the story in The Guardian in 2018: 'Immoral': groups fight National Trust's wild boar cull" https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/22/immoral-groups-fight-national-trusts-wild-boar-cull

In other words no one ever learns and the lust to kill anything is stronger than the need to improve the environment and conserve wildlife.

The UK really is The Blood Island

State of the Badger Report and why I will not be adding to it

 

The Badger Trust has been promoting this so here are my thoughts.

State of the Badger Report Aim

The aim is to produce a comprehensive report that answers some of the questions regarding badger population, threats, and recovery. The report will be used to assess density and distribution estimates, historical and current population changes, and badger crime statistics. 

You can read more here: https://www.badgertrust.org.uk/state-of-the-badger

People may read about this so allow me to explain why I, and I think other badger watchers or people who have badgers visiting, will not be taking part.

When I set up the Bristol Badger Group in 1995 the policy was to not draw attention to badger setts. I had learnt from other wildlife work that once you are known to do a certain type of field work then those involved in hunting, snaring or just anti certain wildlife will follow you and get locations. It is why I stopped one long term project years ago as farmers or hunt people who saw me passed the word along. End of a lot of hard work but the safety of the animals was more important.

I have catalogue areas where badgers are seen or where setts are known and you can take my right arm off before anyone gets that information.

"We plan for the State of the Badger survey to use the Badger Watch App to record sett locations and badger signs, which will also allow for criminal instances to be simultaneously recorded and stored on a private and secure database."

I do not put any of my data on a computer or an online data base. I do not use any "app". These can be hacked -there is no such thing as a "private and secure database" because pressure can be put on internet service providers or even the people who own the app design to get access. There are enough examples out there. 

I have dealt with both MAFF and DEFRA over the years and they have used threats, very dodgy activities and twice used my name to get a dead animal I was told would be held for me. Some of this I have discussed on the other blog 

https://exoticanimalsregister.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-uk-government-and-police-are.html

My policy is simple: leave the badgers alone and do not draw attention to them -Face Book groups are notorious for being riddled with pro hunt people and it is why I never identify sites.

Yes, I want to fully list sites because in the last three years I have helped to stop developers twice as they damaged the area around a badger sett and in one case they returned vegetation to an area and sealed off the sett area so no worker or development staff could go near it.

It also helps us if we need to look for cubs if a sow is killed on a nearby road so that is very important.

I know a certain number of sett areas and some woodland and community park groups passed info on to me in the understandi9ng that no one else was told.

And there you have it. I record badgers killed on roads which is high enough and there are certain hot spots for badger and fox deaths by car. 

I will give this survey a miss.

​

65,000+ Badgers and 65,000+ Foxes Killed Each Year -Is Anyone Bothered?

We are NOT a "Nation of animal lovers" 

One online source states that: 

"Badgers are also killed by being involved in road traffic accidents. It is thought that up to 50,000 badgers are killed every year by traffic on Britain's roads and railways."

Firstly I believe that to be an under estimate. Back in 2000 when I was writing some technical papers I had to look up badger deaths. At that time it was estimated that up to 65,000 were killed each year on UK roads. Road traffic has increased since 2000 and roads have been built over over wildlife corridors. The resulting deaths of badgers, foxes and deer is evidence of how bad the death rate is.

Above: Otters protected in the UK are also killed on roads as well as in illegal shrimp nets. According to the Cardiff University study Road traffic accidents cause a significant number of casualties. We typically receive around 200 otters per year, of which 80-90% have been killed as a result of road traffic accidents.

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/otter-project/conservation-and-education/mitigation#:~:text=Road%20traffic%20accidents,result%20of%20road%20traffic%20accidents.

As with badgers up to 65,000 foxes (actually it seems that this is also an under estimate) are killed by cars each year.

Now if we look at the number of badgers (a supposed 'protected species' since the 1970s) culled over the very bad 'science' on bovine TB (it is widely recognised even amongst naturalists that the badger was just a convenient scapegoat for bad animal husbandry on the part of farmers) we have around 250,000 -one quarter of a million- so far so adding in the 65,000+ =315, 000 and that makes sustaining a population near impossible in England (the only culling country in the UK). The number of badgers shot on private and royal estates and land as well as snaring and poisoning we have no figures for as they can be hidden easily. A sensible total for badger deaths would be around 400,000.

The British government and all of those involved are succeeding where from historical times up to the 1970s an ongoing campaign of melecide failed. They are wiping out a 'protected species' and making sure that6 it becomes extinct in England. It almost seems that this is a deliberate plan to totally wipe out badgers in England and what animal will be scapegoated once they are gone -the dormouse?

Above:Deer of various species are also killed on roads each year

Bad animal husbandry we have a very good example of and the results are still remembered today. To quote Wikipedia: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_BSE_outbreak#:~:text=The%20United%20Kingdom%20was%20afflicted,in%20the%201980s%20and%201990s.

"The United Kingdom was afflicted with an outbreak of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as "mad cow disease"), and its human equivalent variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD), in the 1980s and 1990s. Over four million head of cattle were slaughtered in an effort to contain the outbreak, and 178 people died after contracting vCJD through eating infected beef. A political and public health crisis resulted, and British beef was banned from export to numerous countries around the world, with some bans remaining in place until as late as 2019."

"The outbreak is believed to have originated in the practice of supplementing protein in cattle feed by meat-and-bone meal (MBM), which used the remains of other animals. BSE is a disease involving infectious misfolded proteins known as prions in the nervous system; the remains of an infected animal could spread the disease to animals fed on such a diet."

At that time I was a UK police forces advisor and I spoke to many people in the country and that included farmers. We know that certain farmers were moving cattle at night to beat the various zones set up to prevent the spread of the disease. I was aware that one farmer was "cautioned" after assaulting another who had endangered his cattle by moving cattle out of an isolation zone at night.  The matter went no further as neither wanted to press charges and the farmer at fault should have been prosecuted but simply had to move his cattle back into the isolation zone.

At the same time hunts were reported breaching the BSE areas to continue their 'sport' and they still do similar in BTB areas. Warnings and cautions but that was it.  Any horse or hound infected in some way was easy to dispose of "out of sight".

I mentioned deer so a good statistic comers from the RSPCA:

https://www.rspca.org.uk/documents/1494939/7712578/Road+traffic+accidents+and+deer+-+2022+update.pdf/8c38ccbd-6220-0547-a114-9326bd76f32e?t=1673451012014#:~:text=Recent%20research%20indicates%20that%20up,population%20of%20over%20a%20million.

"Recent research indicates that up to 74,000 deer may be involved in vehicle collisions each year in Britain. Six species of deer live in the wild in Britain with a combined population of over a million."

And our Spikey red-listed garden friend the hedgehog is far from "recovering" and they pay a heavy price. According to Wildlife Online:

https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/questions/answer/what-impacts-do-roads-have-on-hedgehogs#:~:text=Summary,Britain's%20road%20network%20each%20year.

"Summary. The most obvious impact of roads on hedgehogs is direct mortality. Hedgehogs, like many animals, are susceptible to being runover and a recent estimate suggests as many as 335,000 are killed on Britain's road network each year.

The public are never distracted by any of this as it is always a case of "someone else will deal with it" or "nothing to do with me". The bleating starts when it does affect them and I would not be surprised to find badgers in England extinct by 2035.

Foxes, as we are learning with each new case submitted for post mortem examination, have a number of health issues that affect them from canine pneumonia which seems fairly common, babesia, worms -heart worm being the "silent killer" and much more. In a city such as Bristol hundreds are killed on the roads each year -we have the data to prove that.

 Nationally the figure probably exceeds the 2000 estimated total of 55-65,000. We see foxes killed singly or in pairs or even threes as they try to cross traditional wildlife corridors. As of 22nd  September, 2023 Bristol has had 200 fox deaths (these are only the ones reported) and the actual figure is likely around the 300+ mark. 

To this we can add snaring -and that has happened in two local cases and although banned now in Wales (seen as the "national capitol of snaring") it is still cliami9ng many foxes and although fairly secretive just going by the photographs shared by these people they account for hundreds of foxes each year.

Officially, foxes can be "humanely" taken out by farmers if their livestock is threatened. Again, if you keep chickens then you need to know what you are doing. Foxes will gladly pass up chicken for a rabbit any day (and the whole chicken stealing fox was proved false a long time ago -by huntsmen themselves). But what threat is a fox (the size of a domestic cat) to even a lamb? None and, again, this was proven by the fox hunting fraternity who did field work and found that foxes were ignoring lambs and eating the nutrient rich afterbirth and sheep droppings. A still born lamb was still a free meal but foxes tended to avoid them as the ewes were still very protective.   A fox a threat to cows and horses? Hardly.

So why is it that there are many people with high powered rifles and the latest night gear going out killing hundreds of foxes a month?  They even share photos of themselves proudly displaying all the foxes they kill in one night in shooting publications, online and in Face Book groups were they are cited as "a credit to the sport'.  Yes, they admit this is all sport shooting but under law that is illegal as you are killing a wild animal with no just cause or reason other than that it gives you "pleasure". 

The police in the UK can easily find all of this evidence online -from the shooter posing with rifle and dead animals and even open discussions about how many foxes they have killed. It is an open and shut case. Why is this not being stopped? If you know any RSPCA inspectors ask them and they will tell you the same they told me; shooters include some serving police officers among them. 

We have seen the fox population drop drastically and adding all the ways that foxes die in the UK (including poisoning and illegal lethal traps) then you can see the reasons why.

The first thing that needs to be done is the protect established wildlife corridors and that involves following the example of European and countries further afield; build wildlife over or under passes and that would save thousands of animals each year from badgers, foxes, deer and others. Simple solution but it would cost money and those in power would sooner have species go extinct than fork out money to save it (and upset some rich donators).

Begin protecting foxes by prosecuting illegal shooting especially when it involves the killing of a high number of adult and cub foxes. This hunting with no concern or ramification is how the Old British fox types became extinct in the 1860s. So long as these people have their 'fun' they do not care.

Rather like Chris Packham I think that I long ago gave up the idea that protesting will make changes. I have studied wildlife history as well as the wildlife itself for 50 years now and all I have seen is the legislastio0n to protect the environment and wildlife in it flouted or disregarded and even driven over when money is involved. Even now Bristol City Council, despite promises, are trying to find ways to get developments on green sites of importance -and, no, they do not like me.

Just the figures given in this post total 874, 200 in a year.

Why is no one organising large protests to stop the killing of wildlife and calling for wildlife corridors to be made safe with over and underpasses? Is that too much of a bother to save species and the environment? Is watching Eastenders or Coronation Street on TV while guzzling down a pizza far more important?

Apparently the answer is yes. 

Next Year It's 30!

 

Pigeon Culls, Badger and Fox Dens and Environmental Destruction.

 Not our usual subject but worth noting. Someone in North Bristol Rescue posted this:

"Hello, can anyone help please. There is pigeon with an injured wing BS3 area. I was unable to stop at the time as had 3 dogs in the car. But did give bird food and water and pigeon ate this straight away. It looks as if a mass cull of pigeons has taken place as there are lots of dead pigeons on the road side (It is beneath an underbridge which is usually full of roosting pigeons but is now empty). I am happy to go back to the location, but unable to keep the poor soul at mine due to the dogs. Thank you so very much"

My response:

"Unfortunately every year I get reports of this. These are Bristol City Council contracted shooters and they always operate on a Sunday because they do not want people interfering with their shooting spree. Last year a man reported how he, his wife and two children had to step through 'culled' pigeons with a shooter laughing and telling them "They won't bite". In 2021 people reported shooters acting like they were grouse hunting and not caring who was going by.

"Bristol City Council is not the 'environmental' champion it claims and if you feel mass culls of nesting birds is wrong (young are also killed) then make a complaint to the Mayor's office. There are no pigeon rescues in Bristol so handed to a vet the pigeon in question will be put to sleep."

I have witnessed the destruction of bird nests and other wildlife inhabited areas by Bristol City Council and on intervening been told to "**** off!" Reported to the Council I get the response that their contractors have strict guidelines on behaviour and will always consider any habitat under threat. Basically: "We don't care"

Even a flock of former racing pigeons I had treated for injuries and ailments were killed by the Council and they admitted it (their contractors even knocked over the makeshift dovecote (leaning over the fence to do so) They actually waited until I went out to do this and a neighbour gave me the council van number and when I phoned the council I was told they had been reported as a nuisance but when I said racing pigeons suddenly the admission was followed by denial 🙄🙄🙄

There is even consideration for bringing back yearly culls of seagulls.

This is why I do not register any badger locations with Avon Wildlife, Bristol Environmental Records or any body with Council connections. If you think the City Council would protect Bristol badgers if a cull was organised you need a reality kick.

Every year wildlife groups have "photographers" suddenly start asking to join and asking where they can film or photograph badgers and foxes. Someone on one group said this was odd and it is. Why is a photographer in Glasgow, London or Norfolk interested in knowing where they can find badgers and fox dens to photograph _London has more foxes than Bristol. Glasgow has foxes as does Norfolk. Badgers also.

Odd that none of these photographers post the results of their filming or photo shoots. I ought to note that I am always suspicious as running the Exotic Animals Register (EAR) since 1977 I was often asked by 'photographers' where the best areas were for a chance to film a certain animal. Luckily, police wildlife officers back then were more about wildlife and on two occasions the photographer was found to be an employee of MAFF/DEFRA and were mapping sightings.

Until we get a City Council that is strong on wildlife and environment protection we will continue to see them turn a blind eye and contract out bird culls and use of rodenticides.

With an increasing number of hawks and buzzards in and around Bristol the damage to the food chain for wildlife is clear.

Apologies for the rant but it is a war out there to save wildlife as well as the environment and until people understand, complain or start challenging the local authority it will be a losing battle.

So What Recognition Or Reward Do I Get? Well....

 

I should not laugh really but at times I think people have great expectations beyond reality.

Someone asked whether I get recognition in some way (officially) for the work I have done regarding British wildlife?  Okay, so here is my serious response and please wait for the punchline at the end.

I got interested in foxes in 1974 but only decided to study them in 1976 when I set up the British Fox Study. From accepting dogma that the "little red dog" we see today I decided as an historian to look at all of the historical research I could. I found none. I then started studying newspaper archives and the old newspapers and journals. A brief mention led me in one direction where I found an item referring to something else I had never heard of. I questioned what I read and found a true history of foxes in the UK and Ireland and how we really did have three old types of fox. 

What I uncovered was described by the late David Bellamy (sadly he passed away before he could write a foreword for The Red Paper (2010)  which was described a "explosive" in how it tore apart what we have been told about foxes and the actual facts. In 2022 The Red Paper 2022 Vol. I: Canids was published and pushed our knowledge of foxes and other canids in the UK far beyond what the 2010 book did. 

I have also looked at fox welfare issues, the treatments available to foxes as well as mange in the UK. Educating people interested in foxes has at least turned some around to taking a more serious approach to fox watching and feeding as well as treatment of injuries, etc.

It was a very long and hard fight but I eventually got the approval to officially have post mortems carried out on certain foxes and what we have found out has been eye opening at times. The Bristol Fox Deaths Project is drawing to a conclusion after two years and was the first and only project in the UK.

I also maintain the Bristol Fox Deaths Register which contains reports of every fox found deceased within the City and County of Bristol so that we can assess the actual death toll along with cause of death.

The historical research is still not concluded and my colleague and Linnaen Society member, ML, has also contributed a great deal to this work by getting her hands on actual Old fox specimens. This study will continue as will my ongoing study of other canids world wide.

There is a lot more obviously including corresponding with naturalists/zoologists and museums in and outside  the UK - I have even discovered that Western Europe had its own Old fox type before the Red fox arrived. 

Since 1980s I also researched and studied wild cats not just in the UK but beyond and several of my hypothesese on certain island cats made in 2000 have recently been scientifically verified.

Again, the history of the wild cat in the UK and Ireland is complex. I found that what we are told today are Felis silvestris are not the original wild cats but imports and imports that were also released by 'sportsmen' in England. By the 1860s the true wild cat was gone in Scotland and that has been proven from decades of research and a declaration by Scottish zoologists in 1897. 

Museums, newspaper archives and much much were consulted and, again, my colleague ML managed to find some Old wild cat taxidermy. Much of this work is in my other 2022 book The Rede Paper 2022 Vol. II: Felids.

When the old Bristol Badger Group became defunct in the 1990s I took over and although Health and Safety in the UK will not allow post mortems of badgers I set up The Bristol Badger Death Register to record all deaths. Documenting badgers in Bristol as well as educating many both in the City and nationally on badger welfare and history has been a hard task. How badgers survived when foxes and wild cats did not because of persecution is another discovery that took years of work to find out.

I regularly post, often quite long and windy, items on foxes, badgers, wild cats and British wildlife and try to educate and push aside the dogma taught. 

Apart from this in 1976 I was, as a young naturalist, almost pushed into looking at reports of "British Big Cats" and in 1977 I set up the Exotic Animals Register (EAR) and became an exotic wildlife advisor to UK police forces and became a  member of PAWS (partners against wildlife crime). The EAR is still consulted today both by the public and press and police.

I now need to add that none of this was paid work. All expense4s were from my own pocket and often left me "financially embarrassed". 1976-2023 is a long time and, no, you do not get recognition for the work -I was once warned by an old naturalist that "being a naturalist will never make you financially well off" and he was right. I have carried out the field work and more research on wildlife than most zoologists and I do often wonder what a "normal" day would be like -perhaps get 6 hours sleep a day!

Here is where I show how little regard true naturalists are held in. Some 50 years of no-stop research and wildlife work and not even a pat on the head (but plenty of battles). Lavatory attendants (still an important job) have been awarded MBEs for 20 years work. That I think puts things into perspective 😂😂