El Annie
Thursday 9th January 2003, 22:16
In Conserv@tion today - http://www.habitat.org.uk/news1.htm
I was appalled to hear the plans of conservation organisations, namely English Nature, the National Trust, the RSPB and the Landmark Trust, to wipe out the black rat from Lundy. The rats have been an important part of the island's biodiversity for over 400 years, co-existing with puffin and Manx shearwater colonies within the ecosystem. Seabird numbers started to decline only over the last 60 years. This indicates that it is not the rats at fault but some other factor, for example the over-fishing of sand eels, an important part of the seabird's diet. Black rats have been described as "one of the rarest mammals in the UK." The Lundy rats make up one of the few remaining UK colonies of black rats - surely it is madness to slaughter such a rare species.
More information - thisisSouthDevon
El Annie :)
I was appalled to hear the plans of conservation organisations, namely English Nature, the National Trust, the RSPB and the Landmark Trust, to wipe out the black rat from Lundy. The rats have been an important part of the island's biodiversity for over 400 years, co-existing with puffin and Manx shearwater colonies within the ecosystem. Seabird numbers started to decline only over the last 60 years. This indicates that it is not the rats at fault but some other factor, for example the over-fishing of sand eels, an important part of the seabird's diet. Black rats have been described as "one of the rarest mammals in the UK." The Lundy rats make up one of the few remaining UK colonies of black rats - surely it is madness to slaughter such a rare species.
More information - thisisSouthDevon
El Annie :)