Pteromys terrorists
 

Pteromys volans is a cute little eurasian mammal. In EU it occurs mainly in Finland, hence Finland has the protection responsibility of the species. This critter has become very not-wanted among majority of landowners, because its presence may prohibit them selling wood or building buildings.

Yesterday our national newspaper told what has lately happened in Valkeakoski town: unknown people had put Pteromys nesting boxes on trees in an area, where it was planned a suburb. Now, as Pteromys has settled in one box, the plans are cancelled. A professor in environmental law says it is sabotage. It is not determined in law, if nesting boxes could be put on other people's forests (that's usual practise in Nordic countries), but the professor interprets that landowner's permit should be asked.

Another finn-issue was raised last week, as our minister in farming & forestry proposed Cygnus hunting being allowed. This raised large objection, where the hunters association was also with, so it's not going through.

C cygnus almost disappeared from Finland in the 50's. Then one man, Yrjö Kokko, wrote one book where he described one Cygnus pair's summer. Bird was protected, and now rather common breeder also in S Finland. C olor has spread onto finnish coasts at the same period.

Siberian Flying Squirrel, in case anyone's wondering. Must admit I've never heard of the critter. BUt yeah, looks cute. http://www.me.go.kr/child/html/img/a50.jpg

Interesting issues you have up there, Karri.

A thing I forgot to mention is that we are heading for our municipal elections here. At least the swan proposal clearly was to gather some points.

I think, if it is so easy, the government should put lots of boxes for Flying Squirrels around, so they become common and not protected anymore.

I would very much like to see wild flying squirrels flying. I never saw any gliding mammal and it must be bizzare sight. :)

Possibly Flying Squirrels lived in north-eastern Poland several centuries ago. Alternatively, animals described in old stories were Dormouse. Nobody knows.

The other EU governments should do that, because Pteromys is our "nuisance" because it does not appear other EU countries. Here the species is rather common.


Due to their secretive nocturnal habits they are extremely rare to see - much more rare than owls, nightjar and bats.

Maybe they will be the species to save your forests. Here, it was spotted owls that made people aware that our forests needed our attention. Now, fewer wild forests are being chopped down. But that's just in my little corner of the World. ;)

I've heard of Your owls, and one of my friends has even worked on a project with them. Good job! -Even though Pteromys is the cutest fluffy critter in our forests, most forest owners value more hard cash in my corners, and see this animal as a little devil preventing their prosperity. However, as a Finnish citizen, I see Pteromys as one of those values essential for our country.

Flying squirrels - an international conspiracy
 

As I started this thread, I did not know it prove to be this hilarious... Originally from Reuters, here via www.stuff.co.nz:

Canada in legal fight to deport US flying squirrel
07 October 2004

TORONTO: A flying squirrel named Sabrina is at the centre of a fight between Canada, which wants to deport the rodent, and its owner who says the creature is harmless and has bonded to him. Ottawa wants to send the animal back to the United States, citing a 2003 ban on importing rodents into the country after a monkeypox outbreak south of the border last year.

Naturalist Steve Patterson, who brought the squirrel across the border last June after filling out the necessary papers, said the government is simply being stubborn. "The good the squirrel can do far outweighs the bad," he said on Wednesday. "If we could apply for refugee status, I would certainly put an application in for her, but I don't think the laws cover small, baby squirrels."

It is illegal to capture flying squirrels in Ontario, prompting Patterson to travel to Indiana to obtain the animal for educational purposes, he said. Patterson, whose squirrel got a clean bill of health from a veterinarian, won the opening round of the court battle after a judge denied Ottawa's request to make him turn Sabrina over.

But an appeal is pending and Patterson has lined up high-profile lawyer Clayton Ruby to defend the animal. "Granted, he's not the cheapest lawyer around but I felt that Sabrina deserved the best defence," Patterson said. "When you're fighting the federal government, you've got to have some good guns there."

The saga began in July when the Canadian Food Inspection Agency told Patterson the squirrel had to go, issuing a removal order and giving him three days to move it back to the US. Requests for extensions and an intervention by his local parliamentarian fell on deaf ears, Patterson said, adding that sending Sabrina to another US home is no longer an option. "During that time, the animal has completely bonded to me. It's a motherhood thing," he said. "The animal is now my responsibility."

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it cannot comment on the specifics of the case since it is before the courts. "Our mandate is to prevent the introduction of disease and sometimes it comes in the most unlikeliest of places," said Debbie Barr, the agency's senior staff veterinarian in Ottawa. "Based on the existence of a prohibition, the animal should not have been allowed into the country."

Patterson has set up a website at http://www.glaucomys.org/sabrina/ to appeal for donations to the Save Sabrina Legal defence Fund, to help pay for his legal battle.

How true, but if the purpose was to save the Spotted Owl it isn't working. It has succeeded however in the displacement of 30,000 lumber workers, and increased forest fires in the wilderness areas no longer thinned of trees. The population according to scientific reports, has been declining at an average rate of 3.5% a year since 1985 and a more pronounced 7.3% in Washington State where 2.4 million acres were shut down to logging.

The Barred Owl, wildfire, West Nile virus, and a host of other other factors are cited as the leading causes of the steady loss of population. The most obvious cause seems to be the owl's inability to adapt and compete.

:news:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=3815722
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...tedowl16m.html

The spotted owls inability to compete with what? with people?

Spotted Owls
 

It evidently has a better chance with people, who are trying to preserve it, than with the Barred owl which is driving it out of the habitat they both occupy. The Spotted owl is far more timid and unable to defend its niche against the Barred owl. However, I have also read that it interbreeds with the Barred owl so perhaps that is its ultimate mechanism to survive.

or to getting extinct - you can see it either way...
lou