Low-energy bulb disposal warning 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7172662.stm

 Low-energy bulbs contain a small amount of mercury 
Disposing bulbs safely  
The Environment Agency has called for more information to be made
available on the health and environmental risks posed by low-energy
light bulbs. 
It says because the bulbs contain small amounts of mercury, more
information about safe recycling is needed. 

It also wants health warnings printed on packaging and information on
how to clear up smashed bulbs in the home. 

But a toxicologist has played down the risks, saying several bulbs
would have to be smashed at once to pose a danger. 

Mercury 

Environmental scientist Dr David Spurgeon said: "Because these light
bulbs contain small amounts of mercury they could cause a problem if
they are disposed of in a normal waste-bin. 

"It is possible that the mercury they contain could be released either
into the air or from land-fill when they are released into the wider
environment. 

"That's a concern, because mercury is a well known toxic substance." 


 If you broke five bulbs in a small unventilated room then you might
be in short term danger 
Dr David Ray, toxicologist  

Official advice from the Department of the Environment states that if
a low-energy bulb is smashed, the room needs to be vacated for at
least 15 minutes. 

A vacuum cleaner should not be used to clear up the debris, and care
should be taken not to inhale the dust. 

Instead, rubber gloves should be used, and the broken bulb put into a
sealed plastic bag - which should be taken to the local council for
disposal. 

However, this advice is not printed on the packaging that low-energy
bulbs are sold in. 

Toxicologist Dr David Ray, from the University of Nottingham, said
about 6-8mg of mercury was present in a typical low-energy bulb, which
he described as a "pretty small amount". 

"Mercury accumulates in the body - especially the brain," he said.
"The biggest danger is repeated exposure - a one off exposure is not
as potentially dangerous compared to working in a light bulb factory. 

"If you smash one bulb then that is not too much of a hazard. However,
if you broke five bulbs in a small unventilated room then you might be
in short term danger." 

Information campaign 

Adrian Harding of the Environment Agency said: "More information does
need to be made available by retailers, local authorities and the
government to alert people to the best way of dealing with these
products when they become waste." 

Louise Molloy from the environment group Greenpeace said that a public
information campaign was needed in order to advise people how to
dispose of low-energy bulbs safely. 

But she added: "Rather than being worried about the mercury these
light bulbs contain, the general public should be reassured that using
them will actually reduce the amount of mercury overall in our
atmosphere." 

The lighting industry and the government say the risk of mercury
pollution posed by low energy bulbs is minimal. 

Kevin Verdun of the Lighting Association said: "Fluorescent strips,
like the ones used in garages and kitchens, also contain mercury and
have been used for many years without poisoning anyone." 

But he said that warnings on how to safely dispose of smashed bulbs
"might" be put on packaging in future, if the government and the
public demanded it. 

This month shops in the UK will begin the process of phasing out
traditional tungsten bulbs as part of a government plan to completely
replace them by 2011. 

Ministers hope that using the more environmentally-friendly bulbs will
save at least save 5m tonnes-worth of carbon dioxide emissions every
year. 









--

My greatest speech to the peasants
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em7LWuP0T7Q

pam the SPAMMERS send an email to enquires@urfreesim.co.uk



England / Angelic Upstarts 

The red in the flag is the blood that was spilt
In the way that your forefathers tell
And never a country has been so great
The stories Britannia could tell 

I never want to live my life
Away from the golden shores
There's never a country in the world
With the scent of an English rose 

England oh England a country so great
A land that's so fair and so true
There'll never be any colours like
The red the white and the blue 

Whenever you go to a far off land
There's something goes with you
The pride and the joy and the love that comes
For your mother of red white and blue 

You could never be born under a flag that's like
The one of the Union Jack
St.Georges spirit has never died
It all keeps coming back

Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.  

However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
they probably knew might exist in the first place.


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)

X-No-Archive: yes
In article , 
amacmil304@aol.com writes
>Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
>of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
>martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
>reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
>squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
>some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.
>
A typical Angus distortion.

Some pine martens in a few places and in only some years, and then only 
as part of their *mammal* diet..

>However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
>to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
>they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>
>
>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)

-- 
Malcolm

On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 15:34:26 +0000, Malcolm
 wrote:

>X-No-Archive: yes
>In article , 
>amacmil304@aol.com writes
>>Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
>>of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
>>martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
>>reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
>>squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
>>some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.
>>
>A typical Angus distortion.
>
>Some pine martens in a few places and in only some years, and then only 
>as part of their *mammal* diet..
>

Seems not, when the opportunity arises.


>>However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
>>to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
>>they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>>
>>
>>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)
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)

On Jan 5, 6:50 pm, "BAC"  wrote:

> An interesting and quite recent study of pine marten feeding habits, in
> Killarney, Ireland
>
> http://www.ria.ie/cgi-bin/ria/papers/100652.pdf
>
> shows that martens in that location are opportunistic omnivores, and don't
> rely that much on red squirrels, nor on ground dwelling rats, either. One
> thing that is clear, though, is that studies of marten feeding activities
> throughout Europe tend to come up with quite different results, so no-one
> will know what they are likely to feed on in parts of Scotland unless/until
> they study them there.

Isn't it interesting how different populations of the same species
have quite different ecology from place to place. It really shows how
we have to study entire ecosystems if we are ever to have effective
conservation.

Goldfinch in my garden haven't read the rule book that says you have
to feed nyger seed in a specially designed feeder. They eat black
sunflower seeds from a regular dispenser, possibly after seeing Great
Tit (which outnumber Blue Tit 10:1) doing it. Ground feeders like
Dunnock and Cirl Bunting have both climbed onto the table, even when
feeding was available below.

wrote in message 
news:io7vn3hk7fkiglafa4k1nvlvagohgr6efp@4ax.com...
> Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
> of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
> martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
> reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
> squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
> some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.
>
> However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
> to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
> they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>

I doubt whether pine marten predation would make much if any appreciable 
difference to the viability of either grey or red squirrel populations.

An interesting and quite recent study of pine marten feeding habits, in 
Killarney, Ireland

http://www.ria.ie/cgi-bin/ria/papers/100652.pdf

shows that martens in that location are opportunistic omnivores, and don't 
rely that much on red squirrels, nor on ground dwelling rats, either. One 
thing that is clear, though, is that studies of marten feeding activities 
throughout Europe tend to come up with quite different results, so no-one 
will know what they are likely to feed on in parts of Scotland unless/until 
they study them there.

In article , BAC 
 writes
>
> wrote in message
>news:io7vn3hk7fkiglafa4k1nvlvagohgr6efp@4ax.com...
>> Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
>> of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
>> martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
>> reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
>> squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
>> some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.
>>
>> However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
>> to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
>> they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>>
>
>I doubt whether pine marten predation would make much if any appreciable
>difference to the viability of either grey or red squirrel populations.
>
>An interesting and quite recent study of pine marten feeding habits, in
>Killarney, Ireland
>
>http://www.ria.ie/cgi-bin/ria/papers/100652.pdf
>
>shows that martens in that location are opportunistic omnivores, and don't
>rely that much on red squirrels, nor on ground dwelling rats, either. One
>thing that is clear, though, is that studies of marten feeding activities
>throughout Europe tend to come up with quite different results, so no-one
>will know what they are likely to feed on in parts of Scotland unless/until
>they study them there.
>
But Angus doesn't want them to be studied because this involves 
"screwing grants out of the taxpayer".


-- 
Malcolm

In message , 
amacmil304@aol.com writes
>Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
>of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
>martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
>reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
>squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
>some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.

Oh dear typical Angus!   For the casual readers that is **some** Martens 
in **some** years when their usual prey is scare.

Angus has already had this explained to him but in his desperation to 
carry on his vendetta against conservation organisations he carefully 
only tells half (or less) of the story.

>
>However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
>to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
>they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>
More typical rhetoric from Anus' vendetta.
-- 
Malcolm Kane

In message , 
amacmil304@aol.com writes
>On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 15:34:26 +0000, Malcolm
> wrote:
>
>>A typical Angus distortion.
>>
>>Some pine martens in a few places and in only some years, and then only
>>as part of their *mammal* diet..
>>
>
>Seems not, when the opportunity arises.
>
Casual readers notice that Angus has given no proof of this and no 
matter how much he is challenged to back it up with references he won't.
-- 
Malcolm Kane

In message , BAC 
 writes
>
> wrote in message
>news:io7vn3hk7fkiglafa4k1nvlvagohgr6efp@4ax.com...
>> Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
>> of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
>> martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
>> reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
>> squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
>> some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.
>>
>> However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
>> to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
>> they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>>
>
>I doubt whether pine marten predation would make much if any appreciable
>difference to the viability of either grey or red squirrel populations.
>
>An interesting and quite recent study of pine marten feeding habits, in
>Killarney, Ireland
>
>http://www.ria.ie/cgi-bin/ria/papers/100652.pdf
>
>shows that martens in that location are opportunistic omnivores, and don't
>rely that much on red squirrels, nor on ground dwelling rats, either. One
>thing that is clear, though, is that studies of marten feeding activities
>throughout Europe tend to come up with quite different results, so no-one
>will know what they are likely to feed on in parts of Scotland unless/until
>they study them there.
>
>
As I have already pointed out to Angus in a different thread it isn't 
necessarily correct to try to extrapolate from one country to another 
let alone one local population to another.

Angus won't like the idea of somebody studying them.  It might prove 
something he would rather wasn't known  :-))))
-- 
Malcolm Kane

"Malcolm"  wrote in message 
news:qCczUaDGF9fHFwr2@indaal.demon.co.uk...
>
> In article , BAC 
>  writes
>>
>> wrote in message
>>news:io7vn3hk7fkiglafa4k1nvlvagohgr6efp@4ax.com...
>>> Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
>>> of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
>>> martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
>>> reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
>>> squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
>>> some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.
>>>
>>> However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
>>> to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
>>> they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>>>
>>
>>I doubt whether pine marten predation would make much if any appreciable
>>difference to the viability of either grey or red squirrel populations.
>>
>>An interesting and quite recent study of pine marten feeding habits, in
>>Killarney, Ireland
>>
>>http://www.ria.ie/cgi-bin/ria/papers/100652.pdf
>>
>>shows that martens in that location are opportunistic omnivores, and don't
>>rely that much on red squirrels, nor on ground dwelling rats, either. One
>>thing that is clear, though, is that studies of marten feeding activities
>>throughout Europe tend to come up with quite different results, so no-one
>>will know what they are likely to feed on in parts of Scotland 
>>unless/until
>>they study them there.
>>
> But Angus doesn't want them to be studied because this involves "screwing 
> grants out of the taxpayer".
>
>

Assuming that such research would fall to be funded by the taxpayer, it's 
inevitable there would be differences of opinion about the merits of 
competing demands on the public purse, I suppose, and equally inevitable 
that Angus would be unlikely to consider it money well spent. But if his 
argument were that research into pine marten behaviour in Scotland was 
unnecessary because the results of studies elsewhere could simply be applied 
to Scottish circumstances, consideration of the quite different results 
observed in ecosystems throughout Europe suggests he may be mistaken.

On Sun, 6 Jan 2008 10:29:57 -0000, "BAC" 
wrote:

>
>"Malcolm"  wrote in message 
>news:qCczUaDGF9fHFwr2@indaal.demon.co.uk...
>>
>> In article , BAC 
>>  writes
>>>
>>> wrote in message
>>>news:io7vn3hk7fkiglafa4k1nvlvagohgr6efp@4ax.com...
>>>> Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
>>>> of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
>>>> martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
>>>> reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
>>>> squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
>>>> some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.
>>>>
>>>> However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
>>>> to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
>>>> they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>>>>
>>>
>>>I doubt whether pine marten predation would make much if any appreciable
>>>difference to the viability of either grey or red squirrel populations.
>>>
>>>An interesting and quite recent study of pine marten feeding habits, in
>>>Killarney, Ireland
>>>
>>>http://www.ria.ie/cgi-bin/ria/papers/100652.pdf
>>>
>>>shows that martens in that location are opportunistic omnivores, and don't
>>>rely that much on red squirrels, nor on ground dwelling rats, either. One
>>>thing that is clear, though, is that studies of marten feeding activities
>>>throughout Europe tend to come up with quite different results, so no-one
>>>will know what they are likely to feed on in parts of Scotland 
>>>unless/until
>>>they study them there.
>>>
>> But Angus doesn't want them to be studied because this involves "screwing 
>> grants out of the taxpayer".
>>
>>
>
>Assuming that such research would fall to be funded by the taxpayer, it's 
>inevitable there would be differences of opinion about the merits of 
>competing demands on the public purse, I suppose, and equally inevitable 
>that Angus would be unlikely to consider it money well spent. But if his 
>argument were that research into pine marten behaviour in Scotland was 
>unnecessary because the results of studies elsewhere could simply be applied 
>to Scottish circumstances, consideration of the quite different results 
>observed in ecosystems throughout Europe suggests he may be mistaken. 
>

Pine martens eat red squirrels. End of story!









--

My greatest speech to the peasants
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em7LWuP0T7Q

pam the SPAMMERS send an email to enquires@urfreesim.co.uk



England / Angelic Upstarts 

The red in the flag is the blood that was spilt
In the way that your forefathers tell
And never a country has been so great
The stories Britannia could tell 

I never want to live my life
Away from the golden shores
There's never a country in the world
With the scent of an English rose 

England oh England a country so great
A land that's so fair and so true
There'll never be any colours like
The red the white and the blue 

Whenever you go to a far off land
There's something goes with you
The pride and the joy and the love that comes
For your mother of red white and blue 

You could never be born under a flag that's like
The one of the Union Jack
St.Georges spirit has never died
It all keeps coming back

In article , BAC 
 writes
>
>"Malcolm"  wrote in message
>news:qCczUaDGF9fHFwr2@indaal.demon.co.uk...
>>
>> In article , BAC
>>  writes
>>>
>>> wrote in message
>>>news:io7vn3hk7fkiglafa4k1nvlvagohgr6efp@4ax.com...
>>>> Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
>>>> of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
>>>> martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
>>>> reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
>>>> squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
>>>> some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.
>>>>
>>>> However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
>>>> to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
>>>> they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>>>>
>>>
>>>I doubt whether pine marten predation would make much if any appreciable
>>>difference to the viability of either grey or red squirrel populations.
>>>
>>>An interesting and quite recent study of pine marten feeding habits, in
>>>Killarney, Ireland
>>>
>>>http://www.ria.ie/cgi-bin/ria/papers/100652.pdf
>>>
>>>shows that martens in that location are opportunistic omnivores, and don't
>>>rely that much on red squirrels, nor on ground dwelling rats, either. One
>>>thing that is clear, though, is that studies of marten feeding activities
>>>throughout Europe tend to come up with quite different results, so no-one
>>>will know what they are likely to feed on in parts of Scotland
>>>unless/until
>>>they study them there.
>>>
>> But Angus doesn't want them to be studied because this involves "screwing
>> grants out of the taxpayer".
>>
>>
>
>Assuming that such research would fall to be funded by the taxpayer, it's
>inevitable there would be differences of opinion about the merits of
>competing demands on the public purse, I suppose, and equally inevitable
>that Angus would be unlikely to consider it money well spent. But if his
>argument were that research into pine marten behaviour in Scotland was
>unnecessary because the results of studies elsewhere could simply be applied
>to Scottish circumstances, consideration of the quite different results
>observed in ecosystems throughout Europe suggests he may be mistaken.
>
Yes, rather like he has mistakenly tried to apply information gathered 
on deer disturbance as a result of shooting in the USA to the UK.

-- 
Malcolm

On Sun, 6 Jan 2008 12:48:36 +0000, Malcolm
 wrote:

>
>In article , BAC 
> writes
>>
>>"Malcolm"  wrote in message
>>news:qCczUaDGF9fHFwr2@indaal.demon.co.uk...
>>>
>>> In article , BAC
>>>  writes
>>>>
>>>> wrote in message
>>>>news:io7vn3hk7fkiglafa4k1nvlvagohgr6efp@4ax.com...
>>>>> Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
>>>>> of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
>>>>> martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
>>>>> reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
>>>>> squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
>>>>> some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.
>>>>>
>>>>> However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
>>>>> to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
>>>>> they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I doubt whether pine marten predation would make much if any appreciable
>>>>difference to the viability of either grey or red squirrel populations.
>>>>
>>>>An interesting and quite recent study of pine marten feeding habits, in
>>>>Killarney, Ireland
>>>>
>>>>http://www.ria.ie/cgi-bin/ria/papers/100652.pdf
>>>>
>>>>shows that martens in that location are opportunistic omnivores, and don't
>>>>rely that much on red squirrels, nor on ground dwelling rats, either. One
>>>>thing that is clear, though, is that studies of marten feeding activities
>>>>throughout Europe tend to come up with quite different results, so no-one
>>>>will know what they are likely to feed on in parts of Scotland
>>>>unless/until
>>>>they study them there.
>>>>
>>> But Angus doesn't want them to be studied because this involves "screwing
>>> grants out of the taxpayer".
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Assuming that such research would fall to be funded by the taxpayer, it's
>>inevitable there would be differences of opinion about the merits of
>>competing demands on the public purse, I suppose, and equally inevitable
>>that Angus would be unlikely to consider it money well spent. But if his
>>argument were that research into pine marten behaviour in Scotland was
>>unnecessary because the results of studies elsewhere could simply be applied
>>to Scottish circumstances, consideration of the quite different results
>>observed in ecosystems throughout Europe suggests he may be mistaken.
>>
>Yes, rather like he has mistakenly tried to apply information gathered 
>on deer disturbance as a result of shooting in the USA to the UK.

Which shows you up for the sloppy scientist you are; having made up
your mind BEFORE the researchers have managed to screw the taxpayer.

With a mind like yours that can predict to outcome of research before
it takes place, you're obviously of great value to the fake
conservationists.

No wonder you're an adviser to SNH.


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)

In article , 
amacmil304@aol.com writes
>

>you're obviously of great value to the fake
>conservationists.
>
>No wonder you're an adviser to SNH.
>
Yes, I'm an advisor to a organisation which actually exists. As fake 
conservationists don't, any comments by you about my "value" to them is 
autmatically a nonsense.



-- 
Malcolm

"Adenoid Hynkel ."  wrote in message 
news:qpb1o3p76gtsgujdc1m4agr4rqu5v87cs3@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 6 Jan 2008 10:29:57 -0000, "BAC" 
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Malcolm"  wrote in message
>>news:qCczUaDGF9fHFwr2@indaal.demon.co.uk...
>>>
>>> In article , BAC
>>>  writes
>>>>
>>>> wrote in message
>>>>news:io7vn3hk7fkiglafa4k1nvlvagohgr6efp@4ax.com...
>>>>> Before everyone gets too excited about pine martens being the savior
>>>>> of the red squirrel by preying on greys, it should be realised that
>>>>> martens have no colour prejudice and are quite capable of catching
>>>>> reds as well.  So when the martens have finished off the grey
>>>>> squirrels, their next target could well be the reds.  In Scandinavia,
>>>>> some pine martens' main diet is red squirrels.
>>>>>
>>>>> However, perhaps the nature controllers will welcome the opportunity
>>>>> to screw some more grants out of the taxpayer to research a problem
>>>>> they probably knew might exist in the first place.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I doubt whether pine marten predation would make much if any appreciable
>>>>difference to the viability of either grey or red squirrel populations.
>>>>
>>>>An interesting and quite recent study of pine marten feeding habits, in
>>>>Killarney, Ireland
>>>>
>>>>http://www.ria.ie/cgi-bin/ria/papers/100652.pdf
>>>>
>>>>shows that martens in that location are opportunistic omnivores, and 
>>>>don't
>>>>rely that much on red squirrels, nor on ground dwelling rats, either. 
>>>>One
>>>>thing that is clear, though, is that studies of marten feeding 
>>>>activities
>>>>throughout Europe tend to come up with quite different results, so 
>>>>no-one
>>>>will know what they are likely to feed on in parts of Scotland
>>>>unless/until
>>>>they study them there.
>>>>
>>> But Angus doesn't want them to be studied because this involves 
>>> "screwing
>>> grants out of the taxpayer".
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Assuming that such research would fall to be funded by the taxpayer, it's
>>inevitable there would be differences of opinion about the merits of
>>competing demands on the public purse, I suppose, and equally inevitable
>>that Angus would be unlikely to consider it money well spent. But if his
>>argument were that research into pine marten behaviour in Scotland was
>>unnecessary because the results of studies elsewhere could simply be 
>>applied
>>to Scottish circumstances, consideration of the quite different results
>>observed in ecosystems throughout Europe suggests he may be mistaken.
>>
>
> Pine martens eat red squirrels. End of story!
>
>

Hopefully, no-one is denying that, where they are available, red squirrels 
will figure to some extent in the diet of pine martens.