Re: Secret breeding programs of Ruddy Ducks

On Sun, 3 Sep 2006 20:24:40 +0100, "BAC" <casswalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:


"John Morgan" <shirley.yu@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:44fadf4d$0$21147$7a628cd7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<amacmil304@xxxxxxx> wrote: 5qiif2tgsv9ln4h99hovfod789ukqv6dm9@xxxxxxxxxx

I heard the Ruddy Ducks are being rescued in England and being used
for secret breeding programs to undermine DEFRA's slaughter.

If this is true it means that millions of pounds are being wasted by
the government in their effort to exterminate the RD population.

Good luck to the breeders.

Like you (to a certain extent) I disagree with the cull of Ruddy Ducks,
and
have already suggested it is not the way to tackle possible problems. For
a
start, the RD is a rather endearing addition to the UK waterfowl fauna,
alongside Egyptian Goose, Mandarin and, to a much less extent, Canada
Goose.

The money being spent would have paid for a lot of field work, and that is
what is in woefully short supply in this case. How many ringing recoveries
of RD from Britain to Spain? What proportion of female WHD select RD as a
mate when both species are present? What is the comparative success rate
of
mixed pairs vs. pure pairs in the wild in Spain? How viable are the
hybrids - what is their survival rate to maturity compared to pure bred
species? What is the success rate of hybrids in mate selection?

Answers to these questions could show whether or not a problem of
replacement of one species by the other through hybridisation exists. A
further program studying ecological interactions could show if there is
likely to be problems with niche overlap.

As an interim measure, while the studies are taking place, WHD can be
maintained in RD exclusion areas. In the worst case scenario, a nucleus of
WHD will be available - like the captive vultures to be used to
re-populate
the skies of India now that dichlofennac? has been removed from veterinary
use.

Breeding and then deliberately releasing RDs is not a solution to the
problem. At best it simply gives the shooters additional easy targets on
which to practice their aim. At worst it serves to heighten the rift
between
groups of people who should be co-operating on finding an equable way
forward.



I sympathise with your viewpoint, but the only thing likely to 'save' the
UK's RDs at this juncture, IMO, is a failure of political will to see it
(the extermination programme) through. For that to happen, politicians would
have to perceive an advantage in calling it off, e.g. if they thought it
might win public support to do so at a critical time, or if it became
evident the campaign was likely to be perceived as a costly failure.

It seems way too late for co-operating on finding an equable way forward,
unfortunately.



But the RSPB who are supposed to protect birds are the advocators of
the slaughter of the Ruddy Duck and the more people who leave them as
members the better. It will make them think twice about exterminating
whole species of any one animal for what can only be described as
ethnic cleansing and Nazi principles.



Angus Macmillan
www.roots-of-blood.org.uk
www.killhunting.org
www.con-servation.org.uk

All truth passes through three stages:
First, it is ridiculed;
Second, it is violently opposed; and
Third, it is accepted as self-evident.
-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)
.

Relevant Pages

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