UK enclosure breaches

Many private collectors have no pressure on them to report escapees and if they did have to report it would likely not know hte correct group to report them to. The former is because if a bird or animal escapes unless its very dangerous they will assume its lost with no recovery and no risk to human life. Potential ecological damage is overlooked entirely.
 
....enclosure breaches

I take exception to the implication above that private animal keepers are unlikely to know what they are doing.
 
tetrapod said:
Isn't there a bit of an argument that all of the original free-ranging Eagle owls in the UK are descended from escapees, despite the fact they could conceivably cross the North Sea/Channel?
Click to expand...

There is at least one specimen which has flown across the English Channel and made itself at home in England.
 
I was at Titchwell RSPB last year in October when 5 Short eared Owls & 3 Long eared owls came in from the sea haven't seen or heard of any other Owls coming in from Titchwell though.
 
FBBird said:
I take exception to the implication above that private animal keepers are unlikely to know what they are doing.
Click to expand...

I agree, there are some very capable and experienced private keepers in the UK, that definatly do know what they are doing!
 
Nanook said:
I agree, there are some very capable and experienced private keepers in the UK, that definatly do know what they are doing!
Click to expand...

It is why Polecats have had a meteorical rise in their wild population and found far and wide from their original stronghold in Wales. Definitely not due to increased protection of habitat.
 
When I was a kid (around 40 years ago) one of my favourite parts of going to Chester Zoo was going to the herbivore paddocks to see the prairie dogs. They got through the drainage pipes and colonised several enclosures I believe.
 
tetrapod said:
It is why Polecats have had a meteorical rise in their wild population and found far and wide from their original stronghold in Wales. Definitely not due to increased protection of habitat.
Click to expand...

Are all/any of the Polecats that have colonised new areas in recent years, proved to be genuine wild Polecats- or are they escaped dark 'Polecat ferrets' or even a hybrids? For example, I frequently see 'polecat-type' roadkill but not sure what they really are.
 
Pertinax said:
Are all/any of the Polecats that have colonised new areas in recent years, proved to be genuine wild Polecats- or are they escaped dark 'Polecat ferrets' or even a hybrids? For example, I frequently see 'polecat-type' roadkill but not sure what they really are.
Click to expand...

There have been comprehensive genetic and morphological tests to this end; in Cumbria and the western expanses of Northumberland there is a steady eastward spread of genuine European Polecats, which are consistently displacing and out-competing the hybrid and feral stock. I believe similar trends are known from other areas into which the pure stock is expanding.

The following link leads to the most recent publication on the matter by the Vincent Wildlife Trust:

http://www.vwt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Polecat-Report-2016.pdf
 
tetrapod said:
It is why Polecats have had a meteorical rise in their wild population and found far and wide from their original stronghold in Wales. Definitely not due to increased protection of habitat.
Click to expand...

Of course there may well be some less responsible private wild animal keepers, but, like I said, there are some very good and very responsible private wild animal keepers in the UK.
In addition, let`s not forget that a few of these also went on to create some of our best zoos!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top