No chance whatsoever. There would so so many suburban Brian Mays and Paul MacCartneys not allowing access to their gardens or estates that there would be vast numbers left, and any attempt at eradication would be a total waste of time and cash. Which brings us to the question of who would pay for it, and what other conservation projects the money would be diverted from. There is simply no money in the system for an official eradication of several million rodents, and it is now completely impractical. It would take 20 years even if everyone was for it and money grew on trees.
The only way to make it easier would be the way that Reds went near-extinct - destroy almost all woodland habitat, and pay a bounty to peasants. Can't see that happening in the 21st century.
Chris was working overtime with the film titles tonight. I noticed 'Gandhi', 'The French Connection', 'Platoon', 'Dances with Wolves', 'Forrest Gump', 'Driving Miss Daisy' and 'Shakespeare in Love' but I am sure I missed many more.
Ron
No chance whatsoever. There would so so many suburban Brian Mays and Paul MacCartneys not allowing access to their gardens or estates that there would be vast numbers left, and any attempt at eradication would be a total waste of time and cash. Which brings us to the question of who would pay for it, and what other conservation projects the money would be diverted from. There is simply no money in the system for an official eradication of several million rodents, and it is now completely impractical. It would take 20 years even if everyone was for it and money grew on trees.
The only way to make it easier would be the way that Reds went near-extinct - destroy almost all woodland habitat, and pay a bounty to peasants. Can't see that happening in the 21st century.
No, the way to make it easier would be to make it law.The gas man has a statutory right of entry to your home, what easier than to give it to the squirrel shooter (or make the gas man the squirrel shooter)? Then the Macartneys etc would be neutralised. As for suburbia, Grey Squirrels can't survive in one garden so you just put a feeding station in the garden next door to the objector and blat them there.
John
Also as John says the shooting lobby could turn their attentions to the Grey. I am not keen on animals beign killed for sport or shot because we humans made the mistake but if people arwe going to hunt and kill animals legally why not an invasive speciesi?
Yes, you could make it law to force entry, but do you really think people would accept it? They simply wouldn't comply and there would not be the resources to make them comply (or punish them). It would be political suicide to give officials the powers to forcibly come into gardens with guns, traps or poisons, as well as impractically expensive - to force entry you would need police, and they have better things to do (as the Daily Mail wouldn't be slow in pointing that out).
You still haven't suggested where the money will come from to pay for this vast army of trained and licensed people to kill several million rodents across most of England and Wales - you would need an army as you would have to cover large areas at the same time, to avoid new Squirrels just back-filling behind you as you moved on. You would also need multiple visits over a long period to every single garden/wood/suburb/park to make sure that tyou had removed every animal. They very much can survive in one garden, if that happens to large.
They already do. Not only do the Forestry Commission undertake systematic killing, but private landowners and gamekeepers also cull them (poison and shooting), and they are a key quarry species for airgun sport shooters (flick through a copy of Airgunner or Airgun World in WH Smiths). So they are alreayd being hammered left right and centre, and it's isn't making a blind bit of difference because there are millions of them everywhere.
Has the series finished?
Loved this series - it was excellent. A bit of everything for all our wildlife passions to behold
Take Note:.......
It is good to know that there is a Winter Watch which will be shown in January 2013 - so that is a bonus to a shorter Autumn Watch
I loved the quiz on Friday even thought everything was a little in the air at the start of the programme. Great to join in for fun!
I also noticed that the theme 'music' was used in 'Autumn Watch' on one of the 'wildlife' articles is taken from Michaela's other 'current 2012' TV appearance 'Great British Ghosts' broadcasted on 'Yesterday' channel if no-one knows that yet!
Here is the theme music!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt0LjokqVrM
Regards
Kathy
x
Yup, but you can catch them on iplayer
Oh...and deer ruts:C