Gamebirds subtract adders

This story in the Guardian today backs up our worries about the impacts of massive, unregulated releases of gamebirds on wildlife in our countryside, included on designated sites.

Nigel Hand, a reptile expert, describes the impacts of Pheasants in particular in gobbling up young snakes such as the declining Adder. We have made these points in our case for judicial review of gamebird releases. It’s very helpful to have this support.

Teresa Dent of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (more for the conservation of game shooting than wildlife we think) says that GWCT has carried out detailed research but fails to come clean on the fact that their research was not on Adders, so probably best to go with the Adder expert Nigel Hand who believes that, of all the factors affecting Adders, and causing their decline, the massive releases of gamebirds is the most important.

Wild Justice’s case will be heard in court on 3 and 4 November, and it may force DEFRA to regulate gamebird releases in future.