UK Mammal Survey - news story from the BBC website

[Womble]

The figures here might be of interest to people. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4056691.stm

Rabbit populations have risen, as have Polecats, but Minks and wild cats have dropped.

 

[Tantalus]

rabbit numbers on my folks place seem to have dropped

another round of myxy

re emergence of buzzards and other hawks

plus a couple of guys with a pair of harris hawks and a boxful of ferrets

hmmmmm and 2 vixens with 9 cubs between em being shot

i guess they been struggling a little

nice to hear otters are pushing mink out though

Tant

 

[Paganwolf]

Water voles live in the Fenland ditches behind my house they're great little critters, rats, foxes, ill have to start identifying the different rodents my cat "spider" brings in i get at least one a day :roll: (yes i know spider is a daft name for a cat, but i like spiders :spider: )

 

[tomtom]

are pole cats native to britian?

 

[Paganwolf]

are pole cats native to britian?

Scotland i think is the last place they are found, did you know that Polecats are in the same family as the Giant Panda! just a bit of useless information for you :roll: Ive got 6 ferrets 3 of which are poleys they make fantastic pets :biggthump

 

[tomtom]

so they are not introduced like i believe a mink is??

 

[jakunen]

No, they are native.

Mink were introduced from Russia(?), and whilst a few did escape from the farms, most were either dumped by mink farmers who gave up ont them or were released by activists who obviously thought it was better to release them to create complete havoc to our native species than be turned into a coat...

 

[tomtom]

ah good.. i like pole cats.. would hate to think they were invadeing little kritters!

 

[jakunen]

One point about the demise of the Scottish wild cats that they didn't really mention in the article, just that it was a cause for concern, is that they think that this is because of the large numbers of feral domestic cats which are cross-breedign with the wild cats and a new hybrid species is evolving which is trending more towards the feral tabbies, than the wild cat. They are concerned that eventually this new species will totally replace the true wild cat. Not a happy story!

 

[Emma]

And as for those blummin' rabbits... they were introduced as well, weren't they?

 

[hootchi]

Alot of that is very promising stuff.

the most spectacular rise documented in this survey is that of the polecat

the badger; up from around 175,000 to 275,000

seals; with the common seal up from 35,000 to around 50,000, and the grey seal from 93,000 to 130,000

the otter; which shows a rise from around 7,000 to 12,000

goody :super:

The return of the otter is bad news for the mink, whose numbers have slid from 110,000 to 37,000

and more good news :super:

But some of it just breaks my heart

The wild cat is, however, a cause for major concern, ... with the population in the Scottish Highlands now thought to be only a few hundred.

i love wildcats!! Im going to change my avatar (you'll see later)

The dormouse is also fading - though the Society says it is not sure by how much.

we must do something
reference

Emma, they are introduced but I think they've become such a part of the british countryside they're here to stay. Did you know Lundy Island ,1/2 mile wide and 3 miles long is host to over 40 000 rabbits :yikes:

 

[Emma]

Well, yes. And all because the Normans liked rabbit pie...

Good grief!! That's a ridiculous amount of rabbits...

 

[hootchi]

I have changed my avatar to a Scottish Wildcat. At the moment I think helping to increase the population of wildcats is more important than the introduction of the wolf.

Hence wolf to wildcat

Hootchi

 

[gb]

I feel the same way. Its another of Britains natural predators that could be wiped out.
It would be a great shame to see that happen.

 

[Emma]

Will there be direct competition for food between wild cats and wolves? Presumably to some extent there will, but how much?

 

[tomtom]

dont the wild cats eat slightly different things to wolvs?

 

[gb]

Wildcats eat mainly samll mamals like mice and rabbits, and game birds, but wolves eat larger prey like deer, so there probably would'nt be much competition. Not totally sure tho. :?:

 

[tomtom]

yeah thats what i thought.. im sure there would be a little competition i dont reckon a wolf would say no to a bit of rabbit..

 

[george]

Strangely enough wolves actually eat loads of mice and other small mammals - In some areas mice, voles, hares etc probably makes up the largest part of their diet. however they probably wouldn't compete for the same prey as a wildcat in that they hunt in different ways and different places.

George

 

[hootchi]

The wolf and wildcat can and do live in the same area in other parts of the world. However there is bound to be competion for food where the prey species overlap. Particularly in winter when the wolves are forced to eat smaller mammels as substantial prey become harder to catch.

I am definitly not against the re-introduction of wolves, instead just to realise that the current population of animals in Britain is not exactly healthy. Its a shame that the current population of the wildcat is so low and, considering they survived the last ice-age, something ought to be done.

Just a thought?

Hootchi