update: Two people who worked "forestry" (ie lumber cutting and maintenance) asked about what taxidermists would offer for red squirrels as "they shoot a lot in the forestry here in Scotland". I asked which forestry and was immediately no longer on the taxidermy group! So killing red squirrels is still ongoing.
Back on 14th March, 2021 I posted an item titled This Is HUMAN aided Evolution NOT "Invasive Species" and in this I discussed the fact that so many Old British wildlife had hit extinction by the 1860s. If you read the books and publications of the 19th century this is stated and also hinted at. My thanks also to my colleague LM.
We know that the Old fox species as well as the Old wild cat species had declined so much through hunting that they became extinct circa the 1860s. At the same time hunting had wiped out of populations to the point that they became extinct. We know that the hare population dropped so low that in some parts of the UK hares had to be imported to continue the hare coursing 'sport'. In other regions deer also declined and more were imported from Europe -this is all a matter of historical record.
Even today, the estimated hare population of 579,000 is probably a vast over estimate or an outright fake figure to give the impression that hunting has no effect on population. There are some pro-hunt groups using grand titles including "conservation" who have only one interest and that is to include blood sports.As far as hares go:
""GB Red List: n/a. Although a species of conservation concern, brown hares have minimal legal protection because they're considered a game species and can be shot throughout the year, including through their breeding season. They are the only game species in the UK without a closed season (when hunting is prohibited)."
We know that there are many 'fun' shooters who basically go o9ut nightly to find something to kill so they will undoubtedly take hares without even considering that there may be young that will die because the mother was killed. And the same thing that wiped out other species is occurring now and that is breeding pairs are killed so..no new generation. Farmers also shoot hares and even some who profit from it by selling to taxidermists and taxidermists selling on:
It is quite safe to say the hare population is not at the levels claimed and killing for 'fun' as well as financial gain is rife.
Which brings us to the subject of squirrels and particularly red squirrels. I have been accused several times of falsely stating red squirrels were introduced to the UK after the Old Red squirrels were wiped out. Apparently I am using that to justify Grey squirrels being here. This is, of course, the usual uneducated drivel people keep putting out to deny whatever they want; in this case it is 'fact' in their minds (many knowing it is an outright lie) that grey squirrels have wiped out red squirrels. These people have obviously not carried out even basic research.
From my 2021 post:
"A few home truths first: humans introduced the grey squirrel mainly as a novelty specimen for estates and menageries. As with other human interferences with nature an unnatural evolution took place. What they like to call the "survival of the fittest" -though this is only applied when it is an animal humans want to encourage for some reason.
photo (c)2024 respective copyright owner
"Another truth is that humans -game keepers, country squires and the wood industry have been trapping, snaring, poisoning and shooting red squirrels for a long time ("shooting a few brace before lunch" -"brace" being a pair- was a little bit of 'fun sport'. From 1977 until DEFRA attempted to stop my being a Partner Against Wldlife Crimes (PAWS) in 2015 (police forces do still consult me) I had to speak to pest controllers, game keepers, estate managers, farmers and estate owners and one after another would refer to the "pests" or "vermin" they had to take care of and one of these was the red squirrel.
"Why the squirrels?" I would ask. "Vermin" was the response 99% of the time but the other 1% found it a "fun shoot". I soon became aware that local authorities, DEFRA and the police were turning a blind eye using a few down pat excuses about private property etc. Red squirrels are classed a endangered and even the Young Peoples Trust For the Environment continues the lie of the grey menace.
https://ypte.org.uk/factsheets/squirrel-red/territory
In 1945 there was a huge red squirrel population compared to that of the grey as this map from Wildlife Trusts demonstrates https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/saving-species/red-squirrels
Red and grey squirrels distribution in the British Isles in 1945 and 2010. © Craig Shuttleworth/RSST
photo (c)2024 respective copyright owner
So how did the Greys start winning so much territory from the Reds and why? Simple; following the as outlined in The Gazette https://www.thegazette.co.uk/all-notices/content/102333
"The Forestry Commission was founded to restore the nation’s timber reserves in the wake of World War 1. Here's how 100 years of forestry has helped to shape our landscape.
In September 1919, the first Forestry Act, which created the Forestry Commission and recognised the importance of forestry to the UK, came into force.
The beginnings
By the end of World War 1, the UK’s timber supply was much depleted. Britain’s forests had already suffered a steady decline since the Middle Ages, and the additional strain of the war – especially trench warfare – left the nation’s woodlands in a state of disrepair.
From a countryside that was once largely forest, just 5 per cent of tree cover remained, and urgent action was required to address growing concerns.
In 1918, the Acland Committee reported to then prime minister, David Lloyd George, that an organisation with state backing would be the most effective way of restoring and restocking the nation’s forests.
On 1 September 1919, the Forestry Act came in to force, establishing the Forestry Commission and granting it responsibility to look after woods across England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales (Gazette issue 31837).
By Christmas of the same year, the first Forestry Commission trees had been planted at Eggesford in Devon, turning the tide for post-war woodlands, and paving the way for the future of forestry in Britain.
Post-war planting
In the years that followed, the Commission was given the confidence and freedom to focus on acquiring and planting new woodland. Hundreds of thousands of acres were planted, but more turbulent times lay ahead.
As tensions mounted across Europe, the Commission had to draw up felling plans in the event of another war. The Forest of Dean and New Forest were hit hardest, and while scores of trees were felled, the Commission continued to expand; growing its workforce and planting more forests.
The subsequent decades witnessed a dramatic increase in productivity for the Commission, as forests were expanded due to fuel demand for a burgeoning timber trade.
Technologies and mechanical equipment simultaneously improved, alongside a growing awareness of public recreation needs, and the importance of conservation for wildlife and the environment.
Woodland grants schemes, which had existed since the formation of the Commission, evolved and provided different incentives. These included awards for broadleaf planting, and for landowners who considered public access"
"Despite all the talk of preserving red squirrel habitat the one thing officials and various organisations keep quiet about is "the squirrel as a pest" -damage to young saplings and mature "timber" -business and estates lose money. Get rid of the squirrels while 'protecting' habitats (until the wood there is needed).
"The Grey squirrel is often cited as the "perfect example" of what authorities like to term "invasive species" and these need "eradication" (killing). Odd that the red squirrel population is stabilising and not just due to the mass killings of grey squirrels. Greys have found towns and gardens far better habitats -bird feeders and a very wide selection of foods. Last year the squirrels coming to my garden had young but their nesting area was in the same set of conifers as collared dove and a magpie nest. The magpies moved out so you might think the collared dove nests did not last long. However, the collared doves had a record number of young -the local population has seen an increase in a year and at one point earlier this year some 8-12 could be found on my feeders. The squirrels had good food supplies including my prized lilies (it took 10 years before they flowered and last year six were ready to flower but in the space of an early morning all the flowers were eaten) but if you set up a wildlife garden...."
When I wrote the above I was misled since the red squirrel population has not started recovering. In fact under the disguise of "rewilding" and "re-introducing species" pine marten have been introduced into areas populated by red squirrel and even polecats. Pine marten and introduced wild cats will make a dent in any squirrel population so add them to humans and the likelihood that red squirrels are recovering seems dubious.
However, the unproven statements of red squirrel recovery are readily accepted by the public who really do not care that much anyway; I cite the fact that foxes are now on a very steep population decline and that 3000,000 badgers have been legally killed for political and not scientific reasons and.. not big protest from the nation of animal lovers).
Red squirrels are still secretly available for taxidermists to buy and rarer white and black squirrels on one Hampshire estate ...well, taxidermists are jumping at the chance to buy any examples killed and there are fixed price lists that they have so this is a thriving business. Again, taxidermists stamping their feet and claiming this does not happen -we have recorded the evidence and those selling and buying and on what platform. Sadly, as before, humans will be pushing red squirrels to extinction and their species to blame is sorted -the grey squirrel. Greys are shot in droves by Red Squirrel preservation groups and there are some dirty secrets there.
Look at this Annual statement of the Highland Squirrel Club for the year ending 31st December, 1917. The club had some 41 members who owned approximately 43,660 acres of woods and paid subscriptions totalling £48 1s 9d. There were 3,998 squirrels killed on these estates for which bonuses of £49 19s 6d were paid. The main reason was, of course, the 'fun' of shooting animals but they also saw the red squirrel as a threat along the same lines as grey squirrels are today. Rather like foxes, etc., etc., etc., red squirrels were wiped out, re-introduced and then faced several near extinctions.
Take this as just one example as not all reintroductions were public or even widely publicised as it was no one else's business. In 1844, Lady Lovat persuaded the government to re-introduce red squirrels in the Highlands. However, typically, their numbers multiplied rapidly as in fact did their outward migration. Guess what? In response to the damage caused to woodlands, a Highland Squirrel Club was formed with the purpose of hunting, trapping, and killing the squirrels. Financial incentives were provided for those who sent in squirrel tails. There is a very ironic side to this all story and that is that it was the Lovat Estate which exterminated the highest numbers
For further information about this item and the collection to which it belongs, please email the Highland Archive Service
PERIOD: 1910s
SOURCE: Highland Archive Centre
COLLECTION: Highland Squirrel Club 1916-1920 /
Above a chart showing the number of squirrels killed from 1903 to 1941and below Highland Squirrel Club Report for 1917 p 2
There can be no denying that red squirrels were wiped out, reintroduced and wiped out again until some clung on and out of the way of the gunmen. It is interesting to see just how the Red squirrel was described as a threat in the same way modern advocates describe the Grey and the solution is always the same; kill them. This is the Blood Red Island where humans wiped out species by the score, reintroduced the species again to once more wipe out and from the early 20th century on an outright campaign was launched to wipe out the true history of what was done and this has become dogma. Very little of what we find in the UK today whether bird or mammal is going to not be found with European DNA of that species. To actually state DNA and other study conclusions as fact and showing that British species of today are and always have been the same as those of Europe is pure nonsense. Yes, the DNA results are correct for the 21st century but pre-1900, if you could find any remnants of Old British species of deer or hare, they would have been different. Old foxes and Old wild cats as well as the Old wolves that were wiped out would have all been unique island species but the wolf was killed to extinction first and the fox and wild cat almost simultaneously.
The extinctions/near extinctions of wildlife in countries far away are always popular to point to and pompously spout "we must help you save your native wildlife -once it is gone it is gone forever!" Coming from people who are employed at museums and universities this is all rather rich and perhaps they ought to look at the UKs wildlife history?
People in glass houses should not throw stones"
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