Hi Jonathan
I have a GCN licence and am working on dormouse, as long as you are aware, some of the bat community go a little OTT, the recent Bear G's programme with him knocking bats out of the sky caused a huge who - ha to the point of petitions etc going to Discovery, youtube etc.
Anyway I am sure you are up to speed with the law and sorry to bring it up, as an ecologist and hobby bushcrafter I see both sides, so don't.
Martin
To be honest, I don't have a problem with Bear, but that scene with the bats led me to right a thread on it, it was bad. I've been called in to customs and excise many times to ID potentially protected reptile items being imported so know full well about the law concerning prohibited items, and was recently involved in a case where someone was trying to sell a pickled Smooth snake on Ebay. Entirely innocently as it was part of an old school collection from the 1950s, but still a prohibited item to have and sell.
I love the dormouse, never actually seen one in the wild, or even in the flesh come to that. I hope you don't have an ongoing fight with so called Nature Trusts as much as I do when trying to conserve habitat. But that discussion (rant) belongs in a different thread.
I back the bat folk up on their obsession to be honest, I used to work with many bat workers and looked after sick and injured ones some 20 years back. Imagine how you would react if you saw a dormouse skull or pelt on here. I know I'd freak if someone posted a BBQ'd adder, a la Bear. I am probably in possession of quite a few Brown Long Eared bodies though, as the roost in my loft and I've found a couple of mummified examples in the past. That part of my attic is very narrow and I don't go into that part very often. Maybe I should have a clear out
I appreciate your concern and back you up 100% with your very valid and important post.
