The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wildlife Services (WS) admitted in its annual Program Data Report to having killed at least 3.2 million wild animals in 2015 alone — many of which were large predators. 1,681,283 of that total were animals native to the United States. Environmental groups are already sounding the alarm, pointing […]
Category: Polls
POLL: Should the killing of buzzards to protect pheasants be allowed?
Every year, thousands of pheasants are slaughtered by cars. What would we say if the government’s conservation watchdog issued a licence to allow a gamekeeper to shoot 10 careless motorists? Natural England has instead issued a licence to allow a gamekeeper to kill something like us: a legally protected predator, a clever, adaptable native species […]
POLL: Should the use of snares be banned in the UK?
There was a documentary released recently which looked at ‘balance’ in journalism and politics. It pointed out how the desire for balance can actually skew the real story – take climate change for example. The vast majority of scientists now believe that climate change is real. However, news stories about the subject are obliged to […]
POLL: Should the illegal trafficking of Asia’s Sun Bear be stopped?
The Malayan Sun bear may not be the most famous animal in Southeast Asia, but it is undoubtedly one of the most endearing — though its charm hasn’t served to protect it. These gentle, inquisitive residents of the Asian mainland, Sumatra and Borneo, are threatened by poaching for traditional medicine. They’re also fast losing their […]
POLL: Should Thailand’s illegal bird trade be stopped?
Thousands of birds are being sold — often illegally — in Thailand’s markets, a new study has found. On a single weekend in March 2015, researchers from TRAFFIC, the wildlife trademonitoring network, found a total of 117 species of birds on sale at the Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok, Thailand. These included nine species listed […]
POLL: Should geese who ravage crops be culled?
MORE than 700 greylag geese are to be shot in the Outer Hebrides and turned into burgers in a bid to stop the birds ravaging crofters’ crops. The three-year pilot project to manage the goose population of Lewis and Harris – approved by Scottish Natural Heritage – is activated today. The trial aims to reduce […]
POLL: Should invasive animal predators be wiped out?
For the first time in history, New Zealand has announced an ambitious initiative to eliminate rats, stoats, and possums from the country by 2050, in an effort to rid the country of an ecological scourge ravaging its native wildlife. “New Zealand’s unique native creatures and plants are central to our national identity,” said New Zealand […]
POLL: Should driven grouse-shooting be banned?
The season for red grouse-shooting is about to begin. But its driven form, where beaters flush birds towards the guns, is having a terrible impact on the environment and on other birdlife, to the cost of every nature-lover and taxpayer. Mark Avery, former conservation director of the RSPB, explains why this most unsporting sport should […]