by /Editor, Eleisha C Newman

Large numbers of grey squirrels are being killed in the UK at the moment.
Their extermination is excused as the answer to conservation of wildlife problems by those who do not want this variety of species on their land.
The Ark Wildlife Hospital at Milton Keynes refutes that grey squirrels are to blame for the destruction of trees and song birds, and are petitioning the Government to call a halt to the cruel culling.

An email petition is available to sign on:

petitions.pm.gov.uk/Grey-Squirrels/

It is in support of the following statement:


"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Find an alternative to killing Grey Squirrels.

"The Grey Squirrel was brought here in the late 1800s by MAN. MAN decimated the habitat of the Red eg during the reign of William the Conqueror when Winchester Cathedral was built all the forests near Winchester were decimated in 1.5 days. Loss of habitat was the demise of the Red NOT the Grey. Good luck to the Red and we hope he survives but thanks to man his habitat has gone and gone forever, MAN MURDERED the RED SQUIRREL in the first place and so their near extinction is an excuse to kill the Grey.

"How many species are extinct due to man, the Dodo is one and others are still being hunted today? If the Grey was never brought here would they be killing the Red? The Red was eaten in our recent past. Both are RODENTS so how is one classed as VERMIN and the other not?

"There are other ways of decreasing the numbers, why not allow Wildlife Hospitals etc to sterilise all the Greys they get in this will decrease the numbers quicker and humanely? Noncaptive Greys can be fed food baited with contraception drugs. By culling Greys a space develops in the ecological system equals more born equals more killings.

"Bringing in alien animals upsets the local environment and it can never be repaired. Killing is NOT the right option."






If you would like to read more, the following document has been prepared by the Wildlife Hospital at Milton Keynes.

• In Defence of Grey Squirrels
  

Source: Paula Bonarius, The Ark Wildlife Hospital