On Thu, 24 Apr 2003 17:39:56 GMT, Malcolm
wrote:
As many of you are aware, the RSPB, SNH joint slaughter campaign for
the Uist hedgehogs has begun, the nazi CONservation hooligans are
desperate to thwart the efforts of professional bodies to re-locate
these victims of nazi style wildlife persecution within conservation.
The hedgehogs are one of many millions of animals slaughtered annually
by tabletop conservationists in the UK and they are doing it with your
donations, given to protect wildlife. Join the fight to save the
wildlife from the CONservation hooligans and expose the lie of the
necessity for culling.
Duchess offers home to doomed hedgehogs
JAMES FREEMAN
ANIMAL rights organisations and hedgehog lovers, including a duke and
duchess, closed ranks yesterday to fight for the 5000 animals on Uist
and Benbecula facing death.
The hedgehogs, introduced to the islands, are blamed for killing off
the islands' wading birds by eating their eggs.
As the issue became an international news item one campaigner appeared
on television and radio in New Zealand to protest over the proposed
cull, and the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton volunteered assistance.
Kay, Duchess of Hamilton, a member of the governing committee of
Advocates For Animals, an Edinburgh-based protection organisation,
offered to house up to 160 on two estates in East Lothian. "My husband
stopped the shooting of pheasants on the estates years ago so we have
no problem with hedgehogs taking eggs."
Scottish Natural Heritage decided killing the hedgehogs by lethal
injection was the only way to save the birds. It said any rescue must
be confined to a 10-day window at the end of April after hibernation
and before the females become pregnant.
Les Stocker of St Tiggiewinkle's rescue centre in Buckinghamshire
appeared on broadcasts across New Zealand. He said: "The 10-day window
is a nonsense. Males can be moved at any time and it is easy for
experienced handlers to sex hedgehogs."
The campaigners, inundated by offers of garden homes for hedgehogs,
will meet next month to plan a rescue.
Ross Minett, of Advocates For Animals, has set up a Save our Hedgehogs
bank account and is appealing for donations. Saving all 5000 is
estimated to cost as much as £125,000.
A recent letter from the groups saving the hogs.
" I am writing to say thank you so much for sending a very generous
donation towards our "Save our Hedgehogs" appeal. We are extremely
grateful for your support, and this donation is much appreciated.
I must also apologise for the delay in writing to you; we have had a
tremendous response to our appeal and I thought you might like to know
that we have now raised just over £25,000 for our rescue operation. As
you may recall, we estimate that it will cost approximately £25 to
safely remove and relocate each hedgehog to the mainland so, whilst we
are delighted with the total achieved, we will continue with our
appeal so that we can save as many of these 5,000 animals as possible.
At the end of last year, we formed "Uist Hedgehog Rescue", a coalition
of animal rescue organisations and wildlife experts, and worked
together to ensure our rescue plan was in place when the hedgehogs
started to emerge from hibernation. Planning and starting the rescue
has been a very time consuming operation. We went to the islands early
in March to establish our holding centre, with veterinary facilities
for the hedgehogs, together with accommodation for our volunteers who
are helping to find the animals. Towards the end of March, members of
UHR returned to the islands and we began looking for hedgehogs. It was
a slow start, as the weather was cold so most of the animals were
still hibernating. However, with the arrival of warmer weather they
started to emerge and we are delighted that, to date, we have saved
107 animals.
Every hedgehog found is taken to our holding centre and checked by a
UHR veterinary nurse. Before being moved to the mainland, each animal
is examined by our expert wildlife vet to ensure they are fit to
travel, and the animals are then being moved to a rescue centre in
Ayrshire. From there, they are released in pairs at approved release
sites and it was a joy to see the first animals exploring their new
surroundings!
Our rescue will continue this year through to September and I will let
you know the total number that we have saved. In the meantime, sincere
thanks again for your generous donation and for supporting our
appeal."
You can join in by visiting any of these groups.
http://www.avenuesonline.org.uk/cons.../hedgehogs.php
http://www.advocatesforanimals.org.uk/Hedgehogs.htm
http://www.hedge-hog.co.uk/
Remember when you donate money to CONservation hooligans like the
RSPB, SNH etc, what they are really up to with your funds.
If they are not slaughtering deer, it is ruddy duck, fox, squirrels
etc.
--
So, you dont like reasoned,
well thought out, civil debate?
I understand.
/´¯/)
/¯../
/..../
/´¯/'...'/´¯¯`·¸
/'/.../..../......./¨¯\
('(...´...´.... ¯~/'...')
\.................'...../
''...\.......... _.·´
\..............(
\.............\..