Slaughter of the ducks is 'animal racism' (From Daily Echo)
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British ruddy duck being blasted to save Spanish species from extinction
5:21pm Thursday 10th March 2011 in News
British ruddy duck being blasted to save Spanish species from extinction
WITH their bright plumage and blue beaks, they are an eye-catching delight for birdwatchers.
But the sight of the shy and sleepy ruddy duck could soon become a thing of the past – because they’ve been sentenced to death.
Armed men, acting under orders of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), have been shooting the fowl at a Hampshire beauty spot.
It is part of a £3.3m nationwide “eradication programme” on the verge of rubbing out ruddy ducks in Britain for good – all because they migrate to Spain where they are too randy with another duck species.
Animal rights campaigners have dubbed the Government’s solution as a “fanatical slaughter in an attempt for blood purity”.
Birdwatchers have also condemned the killings.
Simon Layton, who witnessed the shootings at Fishlake Meadow in Romsey, said: “It is disgraceful.
"This is an extermination of a species which is completely wrong.
"There is little evidence to prove it will have any effect on the ducks in Spain.”
The 52-year-old, of Ashdown Way, in Romsey, and his son, Angus, 20, are regular visitors to the haven, home to birds like waxwings and herons and rare mammals like otters.
The ruddy duck, originally from the United States, was brought to the UK in the 1940s. But Spanish experts fear it threatens the existence of its native white-headed duck.
This is because promiscuous male ruddy duck muscles in on female whiteheaded ducks to create a booming hybrid population.
So in 2003 the British Government agreed to eradicate the species.
Figures released by Defra show they are succeeding, with the population diving from 4,400 in five years to fewer than 120 now.
Campaign group Animal Aid has dubbed it “senseless slaughter”.
Director Andrew Tyler said: “It is animal racism.
It is a slaughter in the name of blood purity but hybrids exist throughout nature. It is also logistically impossible to eradicate a whole population spread over 1,000 UK sites and across 20 countries.”
But Defra insists the move is for the greater good.
A spokesman said: “Eradicating the ruddy duck in the UK is supported by European governments and conservation organisations such as the RSPB and Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust as the best way to conserve the endangered white-headed duck.”
He would only confirm “control work” in Hampshire has been carried out as part of a national programme and would not reveal how many ducks died in Romsey or identify future killing grounds.
RSPB South East backs the duck slaughter here because it will stop extinction of the white-headed duck elsewhere.
A spokesman said: “This position is based on lengthy and careful consideration of the detailed scientific research carried out into this issue.”
Factfile
• They are stout little ducks with short wings and distinctive stiff tails with faces marked by white cheek patches and a dark cap and blue beaks.
• Males differ from the females, having chestnut body plumage. The female is a darker brown and has a line running through her cheek patch.
• Their tail sticks straight up while swimming and they have the ability to sink into the water without diving.
• They are typically quiet, only making calls during courtship and in fact often spend the day dozing away.
• Ruddy ducks are native to North America and, like white-headed ducks, are a member of the stifftail family.
• They were brought to the UK in the 1930s and 1940s for captive wildfowl collections in Gloucester but some escaped and started breeding in the wild in 1952.
• Ruddy ducks were first seen in Spain in 1983, but ever since they have been breeding with white-headed ducks, producing fertile hybrids which threatens that breed with extinction.
Comments(26)
Raxx
says...
7:05pm Thu 10 Mar 11
Brite Spark
says...
7:40pm Thu 10 Mar 11
hythe knights
says...
8:04pm Thu 10 Mar 11
X Old Bill
says...
8:54pm Thu 10 Mar 11
That's just discrimination - Stand up for the rights of ruddy ducks!
derek james
says...
9:03pm Thu 10 Mar 11
Stillness
says...
9:53pm Thu 10 Mar 11
X Old Bill wrote:Trust you to come to their defense. Is it because all old ducks have old bills?
And all the other introduced species are not a problem?
That's just discrimination - Stand up for the rights of ruddy ducks!
Poppy22
says...
10:01pm Thu 10 Mar 11
Let's hope no ducks are being shot where children regularly go to feed the ducks as it could traumatise a child for years if they witnessed it!
And if this can happen, then why has the same not happened to the grey squirrel, which was also introduced from the USA and has almost totally eradicted our native red squirrel population??
Poor ducks!
Stillness
says...
10:18pm Thu 10 Mar 11
Poppy22 wrote:Both should be eaten. In fact squirrel has been on the menu in a number of high end restaurants for a few years but they call it flightless partridge and other daft names.
I agree with the comment regarding the Spanish wouldn't be shooting their ducks if the situation was the other way around.
Let's hope no ducks are being shot where children regularly go to feed the ducks as it could traumatise a child for years if they witnessed it!
And if this can happen, then why has the same not happened to the grey squirrel, which was also introduced from the USA and has almost totally eradicted our native red squirrel population??
Poor ducks!
beesdee
says...
10:20pm Thu 10 Mar 11
Poppy22 wrote:Make your mind up! Eradication means the same whether it be a duck or squirrel species. I assume you prefer ducks over squirrels.
I agree with the comment regarding the Spanish wouldn't be shooting their ducks if the situation was the other way around.
Let's hope no ducks are being shot where children regularly go to feed the ducks as it could traumatise a child for years if they witnessed it!
And if this can happen, then why has the same not happened to the grey squirrel, which was also introduced from the USA and has almost totally eradicted our native red squirrel population??
Poor ducks!
OSPREYSAINT
says...
11:17pm Thu 10 Mar 11
Stillness
says...
8:07am Fri 11 Mar 11
X Old Bill
says...
12:07pm Fri 11 Mar 11
Stillness wrote:No, it's because I am totally quackers.
X Old Bill wrote:Trust you to come to their defense. Is it because all old ducks have old bills?
And all the other introduced species are not a problem?
That's just discrimination - Stand up for the rights of ruddy ducks!
(wbble).
Also, there is more meat on a Canada goose - Much more worthwhile to cull them.
peter sowerby
says...
4:45pm Fri 11 Mar 11
wathefuk
says...
6:03pm Fri 11 Mar 11
Mr. Ducke
says...
7:03pm Fri 11 Mar 11
This is the worst freakin' thing I've heard in ages, and for the most despicable of reasons. F*** the Spanish ducks!
forest hump
says...
7:52pm Fri 11 Mar 11
peter sowerby
says...
7:58pm Fri 11 Mar 11
Stillness
says...
8:00pm Fri 11 Mar 11
Raxx
says...
9:14pm Fri 11 Mar 11
forest hump
says...
9:50pm Fri 11 Mar 11
peter sowerby wrote:What????
Stay where you are hillbilly boy at least the ducks are safe here from your sort. Better still get back up into the mountains with your moonshine hillbilly friends and you can shoot each other up.
X Old Bill
says...
10:28pm Fri 11 Mar 11
forest hump wrote:No, I don't get it either - Maybe we've missed something.
peter sowerby wrote:What????
Stay where you are hillbilly boy at least the ducks are safe here from your sort. Better still get back up into the mountains with your moonshine hillbilly friends and you can shoot each other up.
Stillness
says...
10:42pm Fri 11 Mar 11
X Old Bill wrote:Seeing that it's Friday night I would guess that quite a few on here are a bit missed.
forest hump wrote:No, I don't get it either - Maybe we've missed something.
peter sowerby wrote:What????
Stay where you are hillbilly boy at least the ducks are safe here from your sort. Better still get back up into the mountains with your moonshine hillbilly friends and you can shoot each other up.
peter sowerby
says...
11:34pm Fri 11 Mar 11
Stillness wrote:I was referring to the liquored up hillbilly boy from MA. atteboro USA, who married a North Baddesley woman and also fell in love with the local ducks so much he has posted a comment about the spanish duck killings.
X Old Bill wrote:Seeing that it's Friday night I would guess that quite a few on here are a bit missed.forest hump wrote:No, I don't get it either - Maybe we've missed something.peter sowerby wrote: Stay where you are hillbilly boy at least the ducks are safe here from your sort. Better still get back up into the mountains with your moonshine hillbilly friends and you can shoot each other up.What????
Now Duck off! do you get that,
Stillness
says...
8:02am Sat 12 Mar 11
peter sowerby wrote:Orange sauce to you mate.
Stillness wrote:I was referring to the liquored up hillbilly boy from MA. atteboro USA, who married a North Baddesley woman and also fell in love with the local ducks so much he has posted a comment about the spanish duck killings.
X Old Bill wrote:Seeing that it's Friday night I would guess that quite a few on here are a bit missed.forest hump wrote:No, I don't get it either - Maybe we've missed something.peter sowerby wrote: Stay where you are hillbilly boy at least the ducks are safe here from your sort. Better still get back up into the mountains with your moonshine hillbilly friends and you can shoot each other up.What????
Now Duck off! do you get that,
S/W = shot-meal. Nice one echo.
Dwella
says...
2:47pm Sun 13 Mar 11
And why were these ducks brought over here from the US in the first place? It's our own fault if they are making a hybrid population.... as they probably wouldn't be here without the introduction from the US in the 1940's.
Stillness says...
6:39pm Thu 10 Mar 11