Dear Sir

In an Internet discussion recently, a member of Scottish National
Heritage's Advisory Committee was dismissive of the RSPB's claim that
"hen harriers are on the verge of extinction as a breeding species in
England" because they only amount to 1.36% of the UK's total
population. This is indeed an amazing about-turn, as SNH have long
claimed the importance of halting or reversing "local extinction".

Perhaps they have now realised that there is no such thing as local
extinction, which is no more than an emotive term for "no longer
established" in a particular area.  As a consequence they should now
stop the brutal killing of grey squirrels to "protect" reds from
"local extinction" - since the reds' domain stretches all the way to
China and is probably the most prolific squirrel species on the
planet.  

Has a new dawn of enlightenment fallen on SNH replacing their "kill to
let live" policy with one of live and let live?

I certainly hope so.

In article , 
amacmil304@aol.com writes
>Dear Sir
>
>In an Internet discussion recently, a member of Scottish National
>Heritage's Advisory Committee was dismissive of the RSPB's claim that
>"hen harriers are on the verge of extinction as a breeding species in
>England" because they only amount to 1.36% of the UK's total
>population. This is indeed an amazing about-turn, as SNH have long
>claimed the importance of halting or reversing "local extinction".
>
>Perhaps they have now realised that there is no such thing as local
>extinction, which is no more than an emotive term for "no longer
>established" in a particular area.  As a consequence they should now
>stop the brutal killing of grey squirrels to "protect" reds from
>"local extinction" - since the reds' domain stretches all the way to
>China and is probably the most prolific squirrel species on the
>planet.
>
>Has a new dawn of enlightenment fallen on SNH replacing their "kill to
>let live" policy with one of live and let live?
>
>I certainly hope so.

Angus writes a letter in which the first sentence is a blatant lie.

Still, that isn't a first :-((

-- 
Malcolm

On Sun, 1 Nov 2009 18:28:34 +0000, Malcolm
 wrote:

>
>In article , 
>amacmil304@aol.com writes
>>Dear Sir
>>
>>In an Internet discussion recently, a member of Scottish National
>>Heritage's Advisory Committee was dismissive of the RSPB's claim that
>>"hen harriers are on the verge of extinction as a breeding species in
>>England" because they only amount to 1.36% of the UK's total
>>population. This is indeed an amazing about-turn, as SNH have long
>>claimed the importance of halting or reversing "local extinction".
>>
>>Perhaps they have now realised that there is no such thing as local
>>extinction, which is no more than an emotive term for "no longer
>>established" in a particular area.  As a consequence they should now
>>stop the brutal killing of grey squirrels to "protect" reds from
>>"local extinction" - since the reds' domain stretches all the way to
>>China and is probably the most prolific squirrel species on the
>>planet.
>>
>>Has a new dawn of enlightenment fallen on SNH replacing their "kill to
>>let live" policy with one of live and let live?
>>
>>I certainly hope so.
>
>Angus writes a letter in which the first sentence is a blatant lie.
>
>Still, that isn't a first :-((


No Malcolm, read what you wrote.

In article , 
amacmil304@aol.com writes
>On Sun, 1 Nov 2009 18:28:34 +0000, Malcolm
> wrote:
>
>>
>>In article ,
>>amacmil304@aol.com writes
>>>Dear Sir
>>>
>>>In an Internet discussion recently, a member of Scottish National
>>>Heritage's Advisory Committee was dismissive of the RSPB's claim that
>>>"hen harriers are on the verge of extinction as a breeding species in
>>>England" because they only amount to 1.36% of the UK's total
>>>population. This is indeed an amazing about-turn, as SNH have long
>>>claimed the importance of halting or reversing "local extinction".
>>>
>>>Perhaps they have now realised that there is no such thing as local
>>>extinction, which is no more than an emotive term for "no longer
>>>established" in a particular area.  As a consequence they should now
>>>stop the brutal killing of grey squirrels to "protect" reds from
>>>"local extinction" - since the reds' domain stretches all the way to
>>>China and is probably the most prolific squirrel species on the
>>>planet.
>>>
>>>Has a new dawn of enlightenment fallen on SNH replacing their "kill to
>>>let live" policy with one of live and let live?
>>>
>>>I certainly hope so.
>>
>>Angus writes a letter in which the first sentence is a blatant lie.
>>
>>Still, that isn't a first :-((
>
>
>No Malcolm, read what you wrote.
>
>
Angus writes a letter in which the first sentence is a blatant lie.

Still, that isn't a first :-((

-- 
Malcolm

On Mon, 2 Nov 2009 07:45:15 +0000, Malcolm
 wrote:

>
>In article , 
>amacmil304@aol.com writes
>>On Sun, 1 Nov 2009 18:28:34 +0000, Malcolm
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>In article ,
>>>amacmil304@aol.com writes
>>>>Dear Sir
>>>>
>>>>In an Internet discussion recently, a member of Scottish National
>>>>Heritage's Advisory Committee was dismissive of the RSPB's claim that
>>>>"hen harriers are on the verge of extinction as a breeding species in
>>>>England" because they only amount to 1.36% of the UK's total
>>>>population. This is indeed an amazing about-turn, as SNH have long
>>>>claimed the importance of halting or reversing "local extinction".
>>>>
>>>>Perhaps they have now realised that there is no such thing as local
>>>>extinction, which is no more than an emotive term for "no longer
>>>>established" in a particular area.  As a consequence they should now
>>>>stop the brutal killing of grey squirrels to "protect" reds from
>>>>"local extinction" - since the reds' domain stretches all the way to
>>>>China and is probably the most prolific squirrel species on the
>>>>planet.
>>>>
>>>>Has a new dawn of enlightenment fallen on SNH replacing their "kill to
>>>>let live" policy with one of live and let live?
>>>>
>>>>I certainly hope so.
>>>
>>>Angus writes a letter in which the first sentence is a blatant lie.
>>>
>>>Still, that isn't a first :-((
>>
>>
>>No Malcolm, read what you wrote.
>>
>>
>Angus writes a letter in which the first sentence is a blatant lie.
>
>Still, that isn't a first :-((


Read what you wrote.  


_________________________

31 October 2009


Dr Malcolm Ogilvie Adviser to Scottish Natural Heritage says,

"There is nothing above which confirms that the population is being
destroyed.  If you think there is, please point to the words that say
so."

Angus Macmillan says.

"Dr Pat Thompson, RSPB's Uplands Conservation Officer said: "Moorland
managers and conservationists must work together to resolve this
long-running conflict. Hen harriers are on the verge of extinction as
a breeding species in England, and to lose such a magnificent bird
because of continuing intolerance towards it would be a sad indictment
of society's ability to protect wildlife."

Dr Ogilvie:

"So what? Have you actually read what you've just copied and pasted?
If you have then you clearly haven't comprehended what it means. Let
me point you at the two words "in England". Of the 806 pairs found in
the 2004 census, there were just 11 in England, which I make 1.36%.
The rest were in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of
Man. Losing 1.36% of the population, supposing they were to go extinct
in England, cannot by any stretch, even of your imagination, be
described as the population being "destroyed"."

Angus Macmillan:

"What an about turn!   Suddenly "locally extinct" doesn't matter if
they're somewhere else.  So why worry about red squirrels in England
if they're in Scotland?"

______________________________


It's pretty obvious from what you say that you regard the 1.36% as
unimportant and of no consequence to the overall population level.

However, persecuted animal populations are almost always destroyed
over time so each segment of the population is important to the
overall survival.

You're so screwed up about point scoring against me that you
completely miss the point and think a population being destroyed means
an instant destruction. Get a grip, Malcolm.

As you can see from this article wildlife crime is up 2.68 times in a
single year and a significant amount of it is being directed at birds
of prey.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6479165/Wildlife-crime-soaring-in-Britain-driving-some-species-close-to-extinction.html

I have no doubt that this increase is fueled by the well publicised
killing of wildlife by SNH SWT and the like.  

If government agences promote the wildlife they don't want, it's to be
expected that others will kill what they don't want.

As I say in my "Victimising Grey Squirrels",   Abuse breeds abuse.