Report from Phebe Cooper
'Send hedgehogs south' to eat slugs
From Ananova 12 th July 2002
From Ananova news service yesterday, the latest on the non-native hedgehogs on Uist.
The House of Lords has heard calls to send 5,000 hedgehogs under threat of a mass cull to England to deal with garden slugs.
It follows a move by Scottish Natural Heritage to look at more humane methods of destroying the animals which are devouring wild birds' eggs.
"English gardeners are crying out for hedgehogs to predate on slugs, which are an enormous problem in a wet summer like this," said Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer.
Lady Miller, a Somerset councillor, also urged the Government to have a "more pro-active species management plan". And she cited problems of mangy foxes on the city streets.
Government spokesman Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton, confirmed that research had found the hedgehogs threatened dunlin, redshank, snipe and lapwing. But no decision had yet been made on a cull.
Lady Farrington added, to laughter: "I am sure the Scottish Parliament will consider any proposal you wish to put forward about the humane expatriation of hedgehogs to those gardens and gardeners who wish to have them."
© Ananova, 12 th July 2002
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