Giving Nature a Home? Or are RSPB's nature reserves killing fields for foxes and some other mammal species?

                                                          

Red foxes - not generally welcome on RSPB reserves, especially when birds are nesting

A TOTAL of 4,035 red foxes have been shot on RSPB nature reserves over the past 10 years.

The figure has been revealed by the society's newly-elected board chairman, Sir Andrew Cahn, in open correspondence with its former director of conservation, Dr Mark Avery.   

Writes Sir Andrew: "In certain circumstances and when other methods of non-lethal control have failed, we do sometimes shoot foxes on our reserves. 

"But we only only do this where it will support delivery of a clear conservation objective for a particular species, for example safeguarding nesting Curlews or Cranes."

Foxes, which eat eggs as well as both adult and juvenile birds,  are not the only mammals that have fallen victim to culling on the RSPB's reserves.

Minks, grey squirrels, three species of deer, rabbits - and even vegetation-munching goats - have sometimes been subject to what the wildlife charity calls 'lethal control'.

One one unnamed reserve, 345 moles were targeted in a single year (2022) because they were deemed to pose a  risk in cattle of  Listeriosis - a bacterial infection that can cause paralysis and even death.

Among predatory  bird species that have been killed - either by shooting or by having their nests destroyed - are Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, Barnacle Goose, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Great Black-backed Gull.

Dr Avery does not challenge the RSPB's policy and says it was he who, while in post,  "loosened the reins on predator control on a case-by-case basis".

However, he has urged  the society to be more  "open and transparent" in publishing the figures.