The Red Paper 2022 Volume I: Foxes, Jackals, Wolves, Coyotes and Wild Dogs of the United Kingdom and Ireland

 

361 pp

Paperback

Interior Color & Black and white

Dimensions A4 (8.27 x 11.69 in / 210 x 297 mm

£25.00

https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/the-red-paper-2022-volume-1-canids/paperback/product-r97ywj.html?

 When the Doggerland bridge flooded the British Isles became separated from

Continental Europe and its wildlife developed uniquely. The British Isles, for the purpose of this work includes Ireland, and isolated the wolves on both became what would be island species not affected by the usual island dwarfism. These wolves, after millennia. Became “unwanted” and forests and woodland was burnt down or cut down for the specific purpose of lupicide; the killing of every and any wolf –and there was a bounty for “a job well done”.

At the same time there also developed three unique island species of Old fox from the coyote-like Mountain or Greyhound fox, the slightly smaller but robustly built Mastiff or Bulldog fox and the smaller Common or Cur fox –the latter like today’s red foxes had a symbiotic relationship with humans.

These canids were mainly ignored until it was decided that they could provide fur and meat and those things earn money. From that point onward, especially after all other game had been killed off, the fox faced what writers over the centuries referred to as vulpicide –extermination through bounties paid, trapping or hunting and despite all the hunters noting that the Old foxes were nearing extinction they continued to hunt until by the late 1880s the Old were gone and replaced by the New –foxes imported by the thousands every year for the ‘sport’ of fox hunting and this importation also led the the UK seeing the appearance of mange (unknown before the importations).

The travelling British sportsmen went coyote, wolf and jackal hunting and on returning to England wanted to bring a taste of this to “the good old country”. Wolves, jackals and coyotes were set up in hunting territories from where they could learn the lay of the land and provide good sport later. Some hunts even attempted to cross-breed foxes, jackals and Coyotes.

Then there were the legendary –almost mythical– “beasts”; the black beast of Edale, the killer canids of Cavan and the “girt dog” of Ennerdale.

In more recent times raccoon dogs and arctic foxes have appeared in the UK; some released for ‘sport’ while others are exotic escapees long since established in the countryside.

If you thought you knew what fox hunting was about prepare to be woken up by a sharp slap to the face and the reality that, by admissions of hunts themselves, this was all about fun and sport and nothing to do with “pest control”.

The Red Paper 2022 Volume II: Wild Cats, Ferals and New Native Species

 

226 pp

Paperback

Interior Color and Black and white

Dimensions  A4 (8.27 x 11.69 in / 210 x 297 mm)

https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/the-red-paper-2022-volume-2-felids/paperback/product-n48529.html?

£25.00

In 1896 Scottish naturalists and zoologists declared that the true Scottish wild cat had become extinct by the 1860s. What we see today is nothing more than a wild tabby cat. In this work the true history and destruction of wild cats from England, Wales (where hybrids clung on into the 1940s) and Scotland is explored and after decades of research the true look of the wild cat is revealed. The "English Tiger" and "Highland Tiger" truly lived up to that name.

Dogma is finally thrown out.

There is also a look at the "New Native Cats" ranging from Asian Golden Cats, Lynx, Puma and others and the evidence leading to their being so designated. No silly press or media stories just solid facts backed up by evidence. The author acted as an exotic species wildlife consultant to UK police forces from 1977-2015 as well as cooperated with university projects on the subject.

Island cats as well as feral cats their lifestyles and problems mare also covered .

Fully referenced and including maps, illustrations and very rare photographs -some never before seen in print- make this a book for amateur naturalists and zoologists.

Ask An Important Question -Such as Why Out Of All The Badgers Killed No Post Mortems Take Place

 This in just 10 years and in all that time not one case of TB amongst those handling badgers or taxidermists

Please

 

Talking About Wildlife On Face Book Could Get You Banned

 The struggle against public ignorance when it comes to wildlife and attempts to study and conserve wildlife is ongoing. It is often made worse by things out of your control. 

Yesterday I posted Otters -Post Mortems Are VERY Important and as usual shared a link to the Vale Wildlife Group, as well as Friends of the Western Slopes, Bristol Naturalist Society and Bristol Nature Network Face Book pages. In one case at the request of someone on the group. Then I received, one after another, warnings that the posts had gone against FBs community standards (it does not in any way shape or form).

Today I received another...

I am appealing again (not that you can actually talk to anyone on FB. But, if the fourth strike is upheld then my account, I am warned, will be suspended.

The problem seems to be caused by the fact that the groups can leave a post waiting for approval for many hours and that, FB  seems to think, means it is spam of some kind. Of course I do understand that moderators need to consider and allow posts from anyone who has been a naturalist all his life, has been a UK police forces exotic animals advisor since 1977, has contributed to technical papers and written books on wildlife.  

Sarcasm aside, FB allows people to show footage and images of wildlife, especially foxes, they have killed (illegally) and allow sex scammers and people pushing porn sites but those are, of course, not against the fictional community standards.

So will I be banned for promoting wildlife health studies and conservation?

We'll see.

Otters -Post Mortems Are VERY Important

 

A European otter (_Lutra lutra_) eating a fish. - Credit: Marc Baldwin

`

Got involved, accidentally as is normal, in the matter of a dead otter cub in the North of England. The behaviour and its death raised concerns with the rescue involved and as they do microscopy work on hedgehog faeces they did the same with the otter cub.

To cut a long story short the rescue arranged with an Environment Agency contact to have the otter sent down to Cardiff University Otter Project.

Now the rescue sent me two microscopy photos and two video clips and I forwarded these to the excellent pathologist that carries out all the dead fox post mortems. He expressed an interest in carrying out a full diagnostic post mortem on the cub and I explained that the carcass was going to Cardiff. I learnt that Cardiff does not carry out full diagnostic PMs which I had not realised before nd are more interested in the genetic side of otters.

In fact, there is a very interesting article on that very subject:

Country-wide genetic monitoring over 21 years reveals lag in genetic recovery despite spatial connectivity in an expanding carnivore (Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra) population

Nia E. Thomas, Frank Hailer, Michael W. Bruford, Elizabeth A. Chadwick

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eva.13505

Now, as I note, the pathologist in Bristol is top notch and far more thorough in his work than we had ever expected -in fact Cardiff has been known to ask for assists if they find anything.

Although the genetic work is very important it seems that there is little to no information on parasites, etc in otters because the work has not been carried out.

I can bore endlessly on post mortems and what we have learnt about foxes and the thing is those PMs are adding to the data because it was never carried out before -again, fox work has mainly been about DNA. With otters it is just as important to know what is going on and the general health of the population and so on.

What I am not saying is "Ignore Cardiff" -they do valuable work. What I am suggesting is that any dead otters be sent to Bristol for full diagnostic post mortems. Cardiff does not lose out in any way as they get what they need. In a way it is almost like getting constant head pains that nothing seems to stop so you get a choice to see your GP again or a neurologist (hint just in case -go for the neurologist).

The importance of seeing what is going on health wise with any population, especially one as restricted as otters, is not just going to add to what we know but help detect health issues in a local population and in some instances try to help stop those issues. Again, we are learning more and more about treating foxes in the wild without trapping, stressing, treating in a centre after a long journey then releasing than ever.

How do we treat lung worm in otters that could kill them or do we simply sit back and wait for them to die then do a post mortem and cross our fingers in the hope they will not all die off?

The emphasis is, again, on the fact that Cardiff does NOT lose out and that is very important. If I thought that sending otters to Bristol for PM would create problems and halt Cardiff's research then, however strongly I feel about the health and welfare issue here I would not suggest it. In fact, I have nothing to gain from this in case anyone wonders -I am a mammalogist specialising in canids, felids and mustelids and the last thing I want to do is jump into the otter ring.

So, please, if you find a dead otter, let me know and I can forward the details on who to contact so that we can get the post mortems and Cardiff also gets the data it needs.

And I apologise if I step on anyone's toes but I have always been hands on in wildlife work and upsetting people is not what I want to do.

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/2684993-scientists-grow-concerned-for-the-genetic-health-of-otters-in-the-uk

Otters and the use of electrical fencing/traps

 In 2022 I learnt quite by accident that some tenants in the Staple Hill area of Bristol were using equipment purchased from Ebay and Amazon to create electrical fencing to deter otters from koi carp ponds. This is also going on in other areas with carp ponds.

I went through DEFRA who were utterly useless and did not seem to give a damn about the matter despite, and I quote:

"Otters are designated and protected as European protected species ( EPS ). EPS are protected under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. It is an offence to: deliberately kill, injure, disturb or capture them."

So after the usual run around I contacted Bristol City Council Animal Welfare 🙄 Department and I was given the shrug and "nothing to do with us" (BCC just keeps on 'giving'). Despite otter deaths on one particular road the idea of fencing and an animal road underpass was "beyond council local policy" whatever that means.

My next port of call was the supposed be all and end all on these things -Natural England. I emailed, got passed along, ignored and then after further efforts to be a pest got this response in January but Natural England does not seem to give a ****.

"Hello Terry

"I have had an email from another colleague about your query which I thought might be useful for you. He has read the Natural England guidance that was on the facebook thread and had the following comment:

"Although this refers to development and habitat loss I think the people with the pond need to be careful how they mitigate against the otters to protect the pond. The extract includes ‘uses otter-proof fences to stop otters getting on to development sites’.

"He suggests contacting Natural England for a clear answer on what people are allowed to do to protect an established pond.

"I believe this is the quote in question.

"Avoidance, mitigation and compensation measures

Look for examples of avoidance, mitigation or compensation plans in the development proposal. The proposal could avoid:

· work on or near the water body and known otter habitat, including work to road crossings and culverts

· disturbance effects, for example, by leaving a buffer zone along a river

· night works

The size of the buffer zone along the stretch of water will vary depending on:

· how otters use the area

· the type of vegetation at the site

· the level of existing background disturbance

· the level of proposed disturbance

Where avoidance measures are not possible, mitigation measures could include designing the development so that it:

· retains otter habitats in the water body and bank

· uses otter-proof fences to stop otters getting into development sites

"Otters are highly territorial animals with large home ranges. Depending on the quality of the habitat and availability of food, males can range along rivers for 35km. Otters will continue to try and use routes if alternatives are not included in a mitigation strategy.

Contact Natural England

Natural England County Hall Spetchley Road Worcester WR5 2NP United Kingdom

Email

enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

Telephone

0300 060 3900"

So I am now chasing NE up again. It is about time people began to learn to live with wildlife and find ways around problems without the use of devices that might harm wildlife.