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themagicroundabout
03-25-2006, 01:46 PM
Hedgehogs “a threat” to seabirds?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1425000/images/_1425864_pig1.jpg
Hedgehogs are said to be threatening seabirds.

A new scientific study suggests hedgehogs are having a devastating impact on seabirds in the Outer Hebrides.
The research has been seized on by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to back its calls for a change in the law.

Several thousand hedgehogs.

The bird welfare charity wants to see tougher controls placed on the introduction of new animals where they have previously been absent.

It has long been suspected that hedgehogs ate large quantities of seabirds' eggs on the grassland, known as Machers, where the birds nest.

Several thousand hedgehogs.

Now the proof has come in the shape of an experiment carried out on South Uist and published in the scientific Journal of Applied Ecology.

By excluding hedgehogs from two fenced plots it was found that wading birds like the dunlin, lapwing, redshank and snipe had two and a half times greater breeding success.

The hedgehog problem dates back to the 1970s when half a dozen were introduced. Now there is thought to be several thousand.

Several thousand hedgehogs.

Further experiments will determine whether the hedgehogs can be removed to save the birds.

But now the RSPB's is seeking changes in the law to prevent a repetition of the problem.

Several...thousand...hedgehogs...


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Given this imformation, what are your opinions on the little spiky devils? Are they really criminals? Do they really threaten seabirds? Or is it all just a load of balderdash and codswallop?





~:save:~ Discuss. ~:save:~




:yap:

Shoden
03-25-2006, 01:49 PM
Pfft, I'd prefer hedgehogs over seabirds anyday.

ScottNUMBERS
03-25-2006, 01:54 PM
I think behind that sluggish slow-witted exterior lies a vast kingdom of knowledge and wisdom.

k mayb not :greenie: :rolleyes2 :tongue: :confused: :greenie: :mad:

themagicroundabout
03-25-2006, 01:54 PM
Pfft, I'd prefer hedgehogs over seabirds anyday.

Try telling that to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds!

Shoden
03-25-2006, 01:55 PM
The RSPB is just getting pissed off because no one will listen. It aint as if it's endangering every bird in the world.

Rye
03-25-2006, 01:56 PM
Wouldn't everyone be glad since people phears teh b1rd flu!!111!11? :p

Shoden
03-25-2006, 01:58 PM
Yeah, Rye has a point! Hedgehogs are going to save us from Bird Flu! yay get those hedgehogs breeding and teach them kung fu!

themagicroundabout
03-25-2006, 01:59 PM
The hedgehog will become a global hero! :greenie:

Shoden
03-25-2006, 02:02 PM
Sonic will once again save the world from destruction!

boris no no
03-25-2006, 02:17 PM
*sighs*

I did a huge and annoying report about Hedgehog culling last year

Basically the hedgehog in this article are not native to the area and are devestating the local bird population

Its like saying, oh let ignore this tiger eating people because its cute, lets ignore that its in London x__x

If its not native, it should not be there, specially if its running risk against native populations

Shoden
03-25-2006, 02:41 PM
It's only birds that nest in the ground that are gonna get owned, not the hedgehog's fault they're dumb. So you're saying the Hedgehogs here are illegal immigrants?

Reine
03-25-2006, 02:45 PM
Sonic the Hedgehog will kill those evil birds