ITV West - Wild Boar

Click the link below for my recent TV slot with ITV West on the Wild Boar culling issue.
As part of a group I am petitioning DEFRA for seasonal protection for this animal. The majority of "my" filming was cut from the final piece as the Forestry Commission took over to try and justify the reasons for culling 12 months of the year.
As this piece was very biased, I will be filming myself to elaborate and put right the many errors and misguided comments from Ian Harvey.
This is not going away and there will be more. I have never been more determined about anything in my life and I will fight this until the end.

Watch this space.

Click Here for Film

Rob

Urban Wildlife? - Forest of Dean

Bit of a stink being kicked up in the local press (again) regarding the rootings and mess left behind from the boars, pictured below at an Industrial Estate in Cinderford.

So, a bit of grass has been turned over and then the screams start for the blood of the wild boar!

I was kneeling down in between these animals to get some of my pics and one even gave me a nudge to say get out of the way and off my worm.
1. If it isn't the Rooting its the....
2. "What if I were a child!"
3. Then we have the "I was charged for nearly a mile!" Yeah OK!
4. And not forgetting the "They are going to cause a serious accident on our roads!"

I haven't finished yet!

1. I will now ask everyone who reads this and drives around the forest over the next 4 months to look at the road verges for litter and rubbish, after the vegetation dies back.
Litter everywhere, fly tipped tyres etc, yet some are more concerned about some grass being turned over, which "will" grow back!
But then, the wild boar don't talk back and can't defend themselves, can they?

2. Scaremongering is and always will be the lowest form of persecution as it can turn a nation, even the majority of the worlds population against a species. We only have to look at the snake and shark to see what can happen!
It has always been present and always will be. There is an animal in our forest, which has the capability of killing a child within minuets and we take it there ourselves! Woof woof!

3. Wild boar can reach speeds of 20 mph, if not more in a very short distance. How fast can a average human run? If these were indeed charges with intent to attack like it has been claimed, then I'm afraid these people would not have outrun a wild boar. Now here we have a different type of pig - A Porkie, or maybe just a few that do not understand the wild boar, or wildlife in general!

4. We have always had free roaming sheep in the forest, some of which, during the winter months lick the salt from the middle of the road and don't even move when you blast your horn!
We have roe, fallow and muntjac deer all over the forest and these animals can be seen frequently on the road verges in the evening, early morning and through the night.
So, why is it acceptable to target and persecute the wild boar when they pose no more a threat than the sheep and the deer?

PS: And why do people keep referring to wildlife enthusiasts as animal lovers! Yes, I love all animals, but when someone uses this term as a means of trying to belittle their passion while slating wildlife, then it becomes offensive.
Unless there is someone who can stand up and say that they hate all animals and wildlife, then we are all animal lovers!

Atrazine - Amphibian Killer

Atrazine is a common pesticide, which is commonly used on corn crops among others around the world. It has been revealed that this chemical is having a devastating affect on the world’s frog population, turning male frogs into females!

Sounds bizarre? It gets worse. Once the male frogs have been turned into females, they can breed successfully with other males. The problem is, because the converted frogs are genetically male and they are breeding with another male, all their offspring will be male!

The true male frogs will have no idea, so they will think they have successfully mated, when in fact they have contributed towards their species demise!

The most common Trade Name for this chemical is AAtrex, but other trade names include...

00045 (CA DPR Chem Code) , 080803 (US EPA PC Code) , 1,3,5-Triazine-2,4-diamine, 6-chloro-N-ethyl-N'-(1-methylethyl)- , 1-Chloro-3-ethylamino-5-isopropylamino-2,4,6-triazine , 1912-24-9 (CAS Number) , 1912249 , 1912249 (CAS Number) , 2-Chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine , 2-Chloro-4-(propylamino)-6-ethylamino-s-triazine , 3-(N-Butyl-N-acetyl)aminopropionic acid , 305 (PDP Code) , 45 (CA DPR Chem Code) , 6-chloro-N2-ethyl-N4-isopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine , A 361 , AAtram, component of (with 019101) , AAtrex , Aktikon , Aktikon PK , Aktinit A , Aktinit PK , Argezin , Atazinax , Atranex , Atrataf , Atratol , Atrazin , Atrazina , Atrazine , Atrazine , Atrazine (ANSI) , Atrazine plus related active triazines , Azinotox 500 , Candex , Cekuzina-T , Crisazina , Cyazine , Farmco Atrazine , Fenamin , Fenatrol , G 30027 , Gesaprim , Griffex , Guardsman herbicide (080803+129051) , Hungazin , Hungazin PK , Inakor , Oleogesaprim , Primatol A , Primaze , Radazine , s-Triazine, 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)- , Shell Atrazine Herbicide , Strazine , Sutazine +, component of (with 041405) , Triazine A 1294 , Vectal SC , Weedex , Weedex A , Wonuk , Zeazin , Zeazine

If you use pesticides, please check the brand on-line to make sure it has no devastating affects on our wildlife!

Look at the "W" listings above. Recognise the name Weedex? You should do as it is a very common brand in the UK!

I am sure that by now you are all aware that it wouldn't take long for the frogs to breed the true females out and then when the males die, the species will die with them!








This sight may one day be lost forever from our ponds if we don't act now!

PS: This is not scaremongering, it is fact!

Thanks

Rob

Wild Boar Control

Below is an article featured in a local newspaper this week. Mr. Goulding carried out the filming for Countryfile, which I was originally lined up for.

As I have said many times before, wild boar young are not weaned until they are 3 months old. So if the findings are correct, Martin has confirmed my fears.
Young boar are being orphaned and left to endure a slow, painful death.
This is not scaremongering as I have been accused of in the past, it is a fact and a very harsh one.

Rob

Chepstow Wild Boar Talk

Tonight at very short notice I was asked to attend and contribute towards a planned talk by the Forestry Commission at Chepstow Leisure Centre.
The talk was to be dedicated to the wild boar in the Forest of Dean, but sadly the Forestry Commission had to pull out.

There were between 80 and 100 people in attendance and I am pleased to say it went very well. I tried to be as informative as possible and every question was answered to the best of my knowledge. The round of applause at the end was just tremendous.
We were in full support of the Forestry Commissions reasons for pulling out and we also made it quite clear that we will be fully supportive of their management plan for the wild boar, when it is put into place.
If anyone reading this attended the talk, thank you for coming and supporting your wildlife. I hope you enjoyed the photos and video.

Also a big thank you to Gwent Wildlife Trust.
http://www.gwentwildlife.org/events.htm

Rob

BBC Radio Glos Feature - Wild Boar

Wild Boar.

Below is a link to my radio interview with BBC Radio Gloucestershire, which went out earlier today.

Firstly, there are a few points I would like to make as there is always a lot of editing involved if you are not live and not everything comes over as said, or as it is meant to be perceived...

1. In my interview, I mentioned that the Forestry Commission has a hard job and that I respect them as they do a fantastic job managing our forest and our deer. I also said that I would support the same policy for wild boar management. This was not aired!
2. The road verges do not repair themselves overnight, nor do they repair themselves when the ground is frozen. The majority of road verges have been clean for quite some time, this means that there has been a decrease in boar activity.
3. Click this link to a "This is Gloucestershire" story from the 3rd January 2010, where a Forestry Ranger confirmed a wild boar cull. Something, which is now being denied. This is why we mentioned the "legal" Forestry cull. http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/gloucestershireheadlines/Wild-boar-culled/article-1667370-detail/article.html
4. My "ONLY" reason for helping to form "Friends of the Wild Boar" is to help this species get the protection in needs and deserves in the UK. I am not looking for recognition and I am certainly not looking for financial gain. The Llama Trekking is Mr Fraser's business and has nothing to do with me or "Friends of the Wild Boar" and it should not have been mentioned.

I have no interest in any business venture whatsoever where the wild boar, or captive animals are concerned and I will never highlight a wild boar location to the public, unless I am 100% sure that it has moved on from the area. This animal needs to be left alone!

I think about our wildlife 100%, not myself and not anyone else. This creature needs a voice and I am going to give it one.

Mr Guest said that our comments were just scaremongering. Well Mr Guest I can assure you that the only scaremongering going on is all the lies and false gossip, which is and has been doing the rounds since the boar arrived in the Dean. Perhaps a statement from you in the local press giving the public the "FACTS" would help. Or would you like me to do it?

The vast majority of people in the UK watch wildlife documentaries on the TV and comment on how people in foreign countries should work harder to learn to live with their wildlife, which are viewed as dangerous by most. Then along comes a wild boar in the UK and they are too scared to walk out of their front door! Practice what you preach!

I am not doing this to make friends or enemies, I am doing this to help a controversial creature survive.

1st part (skip to - 1h 15min 27sec) 2nd part (skip to - 2h 36min 04sec)http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0065c3g/Mark_Cummings_03_02_2010/

Rob

BBC Glos Radio Feature

If anyone is interested, I will be talking on BBC Radio Gloucestershire on Wednesday 3rd Feb from 8am.
It was recorded a few days ago and is dedicated to the wild boar in the Forest of Dean. The show will be available throughout the day by clicking the listen again link.

Click Here: BBC Radio Glos


Thanks

Rob

Feeding Wild Boar is Wrong

There were a few photographs and a write up in this weeks Forest of Dean Review newspaper showing wild boar, which had roamed into a residential area and were being fed by some locals.
It is bad enough feeding them mince pies, but this is just enticing them to come back and if this happens, in the end there will only be one loser.
I am as passionate about the wild boar as I am any animal in our forest and I am concerned that actions like these will just jeopardise the advice given and work being done to protect them. It will add more fuel to the already smouldering fire on whether the boars have a right to an existence in out forest today.

A few facts and guidelines below. These are common sense and have been given to protect us as well as the boar.

1. Do not feed the boar
2. Do not attempt to touch them
3. If you hear or see them and you don't feel comfortable, walk in the opposite direction
4. Stick to the Forestry Commission footpaths
5. Keep your dog on a lead while in the forest

Here are the reasons why the above should be obeyed.

1. If you feed the boar, they will identify humans and more importantly residential areas as a food source. This will have a devastating impact, as the Forestry Commission will have no option but to shoot them, as they will be seen as nuisance boar, when all they really want is food.
2. Wild boar have self-sharpening tusks and it doesn't matter how friendly they look, one jerk of the head could result in "serious" injury. Then the boar will be labeled man-killers!
3. I have had more encounters with boar in the Dean than I can remember and not once have I been in any danger whatsoever.
4. If you are nervous about seeing them, stick to the forestry footpaths, the majority of my sightings have been deep in the forest.
5. The law states that all dog owners must be in control of their dog at all times (http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/enjoying/countrysidecode/keepdogs.aspx). If your dog worries a wild boar and gets injured, then this is down to the owner, not the dog and not the wild boar.

I understand that it must be tempting to feed a wild animal in hard conditions like we have had recently, but this animal is a large mammal, not a bird.

Rob

Help The Birds This Winter

You are probably aware that our wild birds are struggling for food in this hard, severe winter weather.
The ground is so hard that they are finding it difficult to locate their normal food, like insects etc. It is times like these that we can make a massive difference to the lives of our feathered friends.
There are lots of ways you can help, but I find the following the best as it gives the birds lots of nutrients and the correct fats to help them through the cold days.
Its cold out there in the daytime, but imagine what it must be like at night!
I have photographed the process of mixing the correct food for the birds. See below.



Around 2 slices of bread in a little water. Bread bloats the birds and does not have many nutritional values for them, but it helps with the binding.


Next, a good helping of seed. You can use any type of bird seed, but I have used sunflower hearts here as the birds can just peck them up and swallow them straight down.

Then some nuts. They are high in oil and fat, but it is the fat the birds need to produce energy and they need as much of that as they can get.

The last of the ingredients is grated cheese. This is again high in energy and also helps with the binding process.

Get your hands in there and mix it all together until you have a big lump. It can be placed on the ground, in the bow of a tree branch or pushed into holes.

Don't forget to clean the sink afterwards and before you go out, or else you will end up with a sore eye and ear ache!!!

If you know a place where people feed the birds often, take the food to that site, it will be found immediately as the birds in that area will be used to food being taken out and will therefor be waiting.

Hang around and watch how many birds come down to feast on your free food. It will feel good, I promise you that.

Rob

Hungry Birds - 9th Jan 2010

It's no joke out there for our wildlife! I took some food out for the birds today and the sheep were trying to eat me! Well they were trying to get to the food I took out actually, but it just proves how bad it is out there when the sheep are competing with the birds.

A large bag of nuts and seed, as well as some grated cheese delivered to the Cyril Hart Arboretum should keep them going for a while.

PS: I should have reported this yesterday... While I was out walking, I heard a lot of gunfire! This is probably the wild boar cull in full swing?

Of all the reports, suggesting that there are hordes of them all over the place, I would just like to say that I did not see one. Not a single track or sign of them, deep in the forest or along the road verges.

There is a lot of exaggeration and scaremongering regarding the boar and their numbers. I also know that there are silent people out there, waiting to speak against people like me if something goes wrong, but these people do not and never will bother me.

For some reason there is and there always has been a lot of negativity regarding wildlife, nature and conservation. Some people look on it as being geeky, but this is far from the truth.

Here are some pics from today, mainly robin's as they were everywhere. Poor light led to a challenging session, so don't expect too much!

Rob

Help Save The Whales

If you care about our planet, its wildlife and you want to do one good thing today, please sign this. Don't just read it, sign it, it only takes a few seconds.

There is a cool game also, score 500 pts and you can save the whales!

http://www.whalesrevenge.com/





Rob