No Beavers

[pogofish]

It seems that the government has put the kybosh on the plan to reintroduce bravers to Scotland. Despite initially giving it the green light, SNH binned the proposals at a meeting yesterday. I've spent a fair bit of time over the last 10 years working on this proposal & it is a bit of a kick in the teeth! :(

It is not on the BBC yet but here is the most recent article there:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4534623.stm

The Scotsman are carrying the story on their news pages but you need to register to view more:

Scotsman.com
The Scotsman 02 Sep 2005
MINISTERS have rejected plans to reintroduce beavers into Scotland, a decision that wildlife experts yesterday described as "deeply flawed". Beavers were a part of Scotland's natural habitat until about 400 years ago, when they were hunted to extinction fo...

Oh well, we will just have to console ourselves with the plan to bring back the wolf. :)

[Belushi]

If they wont let you have Beavers theres no way your getting wolves!

[pogofish]

We will see, there are some pretty useful & well-connected interests behind the wolf plan. ;)

[FridgeMagnet]

Here's a link to the beaver story:

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1878442005

[Belushi]

We will see, there are some pretty useful & well-connected interests behind the wolf plan. ;)

There was a debate on here about this a couple of years back, posters from countries with wolves were quite anti as I remember, arguing that they are more dangerous than the pro-wolf lobby recognise.

[pogofish]

Yes, the potential danger is something that may well be part of the attraction to some of the landowners offering us research sites but there is a very pressing environmental problem they would help with & I still think the risk is worth it.

Do we have any right to expect our wild lands to be as safe as a public park?

[lang rabbie]

Yes, the potential danger is something that may well be part of the attraction to some of the landowners offering us research sites but there is a very pressing environmental problem they would help with & I still think the risk is worth it.



Why speak in euphemisms - you presumably mean the massive population explosion of red deer (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4536627.stm). I think given the publicity problems with those bloody hedgehogs, the current craven bunch of Scottish Ministers are unlikely to recommend proposals that would see Bambi's cousins being torn limb from limb in the glens.

[pogofish]

I suggest it might be a better & more sustainable option to large-scale culling, or leaving it so that large numbers of sick & starving animals end-up staggering to their deaths all over the place which are the only other practical options. The wolves & deer ought to form a mutually self regulating population eventually

[equationgirl]

There are various mathematical models that show that the predator-prey situation can be self-regulating. These models are based on data and been shown to be accurate. Personally I don't see what's wrong with introducing beavers back into scotland, or wolves. There's plenty of wild places after all.

And don't even get me started about the hedgehogs.......

[pogofish]

Besides, the odd tourist dosen't have enough meat on them to seriously upset the balance & if it makes some of the fair number of unprepared idiots who get into difficulties/die on our hills each year think twice before setting-off, that wouldn't be a bad thing either. I doubt it would deter the sensible ones :p :D

[geminisnake]

:( Imo beavers probably have more right to be here/up the hills than us.

I'd much rather see wolves than deer! :D