Killing of squirrels turns my stomach
RE Jacqui Wall's article on the grey squirrel massacre, Echo, June 11. The admission by Rod Brammer, of Tiverton, that he has been killing squirrels for 57 years makes me feel ashamed to be part of the human race.
It was gun-toting humans who decimated all the red squirrels in the first place.
If an animal is a member of a rare species it becomes protected by law. Yet beware any animal with a biology that enables it to thrive. If the animal is not rare enough to figure in the list of protected species then people are free to kill as many as they like for amusement.
Thus people with guns, not content with shooting at non-sentient targets, slaughter millions of living, feeling animals without a qualm. Worse, people like Mr Brammer also encourage their neighbours and friends to do the same.
It turns my stomach to see the photo of Mr Brammer with his gun and his grisly "trophies". It represents all that is bad in today's society, and illustrates that, on the whole, it is the non-human animal that deserves his place on this earth, rather than humankind.
Frances Wicks
Alphington Road, Exeter
(by post)
3 Comments
by ReeceFowler
Wednesday, April 25 2012, 9:34PM
“The decline of the Red Squirrel correlates more closely with the spread of the Grey than anything else. Woodland has increased, with huge conifer woods planted. Human persecution has stopped. The red has long been protected.
The Greys need to be removed. Thay are a non native pest and are a threat to our native ecology.
Good on Mr Brammer. He knows what he is talking about and he is spot on with his Grey Squirrel cull policy. I only wish every farmer in Britain would take the Grey Squirrel threat as seriously as he does.
We eradicated Greys from my friend's farm and it does seem to have had an effect on the local Grey population. Greys have not been present in any noticeable numbers on the farm until this year, and we have resumed our culling programme, with around 20 Squirrels culled this year. Several years ago, in the first cull, we trapped around 50 Squirrels, with only two fenn traps, a cage trap, and the occasional shooting trip. The farm now has more songbirds than it has ever had, including Yellowhammers, Robins, Wrens, Blackbirds and various Finches.”
by Angus Macmillan, Balloch
Thursday, June 18 2009, 11:40PM
“Wrong Mr Parsons. It's your facts that are not correct.
Early in the last century Red squirrels were massacred in to UK to "protect" forestry intereste - 80,000 in Scotland alone - and there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that the route of transmission of SQPV it through grey squirrels.
Indeed, again early in the last century. out of forty four districts in England where reds had pox disease, forty districts had no grey squirrels at all.
You are presenting speculation as fact.
For more information read the website www.grey-squirrel.org.uk”
by Mike Parsons, Exeter
Thursday, June 18 2009, 7:49AM
“Get your facts right! Red squirrels weren't "decimated" by people with guns, they were forced out of their natural habitat by the biger American greys and the fact that they carry squirrel pox which red squirrels are particularly susceptible to, and certainly not as you say it, "gun toting humans". If you feel so strongly about something, at least have the common sense to make sure you are factually correct in what you are talking about!”