Farmers poisoning Red Kites

[fluffybiscuits]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1118/breaking13.html

Report says three red kites were poisoned . All happened out near Lusk in North Dublin. FIrst farmners want to kill the badgers and now raptors, what is next humans? Can anyone answer me this, what has a farmer got to gain from poisoning birds of prey? Honestly? utter scumbags should be tried before a court and have their farms seized. The most likely perpetrator would have to be farmers...

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Trouble is it is hard to prosecute them without actually spotting them laying down poison. Bloody awful as well because farmers go on about lambs and so on but in fairness if farmers are compensated for losing a lamb to a hawk or an eagle then they shouldn't be complaining- I would agree with harsh sentences as I don't believe farmers should be regarded as 'owners' of the entire environment and if it takes jailing a few to get the message across then well and good.

It isn't as if hundreds of lambs are going missing to birds of prey every spring either and a lamb would feed a hawk and fledglings for a while- birds of prey don't kill for fun either which puts them ethically well above many farmers who seem to think that anything that doesn't have a monetary value to them should be erased.

I'm sure there are some farmers who are just as hacked off about those who poison hawks and eagles as well, mind, and I am aware that some farmers are getting the hang of providing a bit of land for wild hedgerow for birds and other creatures as a better footprint but boy do I hate the idea of people poisoning such fantastic creatures. Sickening.

[5intheface]

Trouble is it is hard to prosecute them without actually spotting them laying down poison. Bloody awful as well because farmers go on about lambs and so on but in fairness if farmers are compensated for losing a lamb to a hawk or an eagle then they shouldn't be complaining- I would agree with harsh sentences as I don't believe farmers should be regarded as 'owners' of the entire environment and if it takes jailing a few to get the message across then well and good.

It isn't as if hundreds of lambs are going missing to birds of prey every spring either and a lamb would feed a hawk and fledglings for a while- birds of prey don't kill for fun either which puts them ethically well above many farmers who seem to think that anything that doesn't have a monetary value to them should be erased.

I'm sure there are some farmers who are just as hacked off about those who poison hawks and eagles as well, mind, and I am aware that some farmers are getting the hang of providing a bit of land for wild hedgerow for birds and other creatures as a better footprint but boy do I hate the idea of people poisoning such fantastic creatures. Sickening.


9000 posts captain, respect! http://www.igrandtheftauto.com/forums/style_emoticons/default//notworthy.gif

[antiestablishmentarian]

Seconded, 9,000 posts is a fantastic record.

On this topic I'd have to say, the perception of the risk to sheep from predators is highly exaggerated. Foxes have been extensively hunted and killed, often in barbaric manner ('lamping' is quite a common nocturnal pastime in some areas) because of the supposed risk they pose to sheep, even by farmers without flocks. I acknowledge that it's not nice to see lambs taken if they're your source of income, but prices have been very low and in the greater scheme of things a loss of €27 on a lamb a year to some foxes is a small price to pay for the hunting of other vermin they do. Ditto for hawks, kites and eagles. I remember the controversy in Kerry about the release of eagles there a few years ago, the only opponents were the 'Kerry Blackface Sheep Association'.

[Andrew49]

Trouble is it is hard to prosecute them without actually spotting them laying down poison. Bloody awful as well because farmers go on about lambs and so on but in fairness if farmers are compensated for losing a lamb to a hawk or an eagle then they shouldn't be complaining- I would agree with harsh sentences as I don't believe farmers should be regarded as 'owners' of the entire environment and if it takes jailing a few to get the message across then well and good.

It isn't as if hundreds of lambs are going missing to birds of prey every spring either and a lamb would feed a hawk and fledglings for a while- birds of prey don't kill for fun either which puts them ethically well above many farmers who seem to think that anything that doesn't have a monetary value to them should be erased.

I'm sure there are some farmers who are just as hacked off about those who poison hawks and eagles as well, mind, and I am aware that some farmers are getting the hang of providing a bit of land for wild hedgerow for birds and other creatures as a better footprint but boy do I hate the idea of people poisoning such fantastic creatures. Sickening.

Says it all for me.

Certainly there are many environmentally aware farmers out there and they should be encouraged.

[Fraxinus]

So sad. And as someone said already to be prosecuted for wildlife crime you need to be caught in the act.
Even if they do go to court the punishment is negligible. Just saw a case on the local paper this week, although it was farm animals not wild animals, but still a farmer was found guilty of cruelty and fined a pathetic €250.

[fluffybiscuits]

@Captain, well done!

Often people whom indulge in these types of behaviours are symptoms of something bigger in their mindset than just harming animals. Its all very well me saying it but these people who carry out the acts of animal cruelty are ones with major psychopathic issues. When they do offend a psychological assessment should be carried out to ascertain if they are a threat to society. Extreme I know but its only in the interests of society.