Oh dear, I don't know what to do. I know what I ought to do, but just can't bring myself to do it. You see, there's a Grey Squirrel mending an old drey in one of the trees in front of the house. Regular followers of this blog will be aware of my passion for the native Red Squirrel which appeared in my "garden" (actually mixed woodland) a couple of years ago for the first time and which has delighted me ever since.
So what's the problem? You probably know but, for those who don't, Grey Squirrels (introduced from North America) and our Reds don't really mix and the Greys are winning. That means I'm supposed to "get rid of" the Greys. Let's not mince words: for "get rid of" read "destroy" or, to be perfectly straight, kill. And I just can't. The only things I can kill are mosquitoes and only then when they're being vindictive in the middle of the night! It's all very well to tell me to get someone to do it for me, but I would have to live with the guilt! I'm not against eradication - just can't bear to do it.
Eradication programmes are accepted conservation tools. On Ascension Island the ex conservation officer got her MBE for killing cats (her words, not mine!). The result is seabirds breeding on the main island for the first time in generations. Introduced species are almost without exception bad news, whether animals or insects or plants. By the way, talking about Ascension, more clients have returned saying that a week wasn't long enough. For our St Helena clients the stay is even shorter, but it really is the most fascinating destination which has only been open for tourism for less than 10 years. (By the way - if you follow the link to Ascension above you'll find the details of the holiday which has just ended. I'll have the 2010 dates and cost up soon. Promise!
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