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snakes as pests... |
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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Posted: 02 Jun 2008 at 11:22am |
Found this unenlightened document on the internet from Maldon Council today (Essex); not helpful..
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Deano
Senior Member Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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What are the chances of anywhere in this country suffering a plague of vipers?
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Deano
Better to be lucky than good looking. |
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administrator
Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Our local council, well know to me for the statement that they have 'no policy' regarding protected reptile and amphibian species.
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administrator
Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Will, just googled for the document, doesn't seem to give much but ID information - what would you suggest as a constructive response? Seems it is a harmless enough document in itself? Contents of document: There are only three species of snake found in this country and they are all protected by law. They are; ∗ Grass or ringed snake ∗ Smooth snake ∗ Adder / ViperRinged or Grass Snakes Natrix Natrix Ringed or grass snakes are greenish-brown or olive-grey with an irregular series of unjoined darker dots along the body and are the species most likely to be confused with the adder. It usually has two bright yellow markings, bordered at the back by a black crescent shaped marking. Occasionally grass snakes do not have these markings, so look for the greenish colour and irregular unjoined dark spots. It is usually 70 - 100 centimetres in length, and is the largest species of British snake. It is found in England and Wales. Unlike the adder and smooth snake that give birth to live young, grass snakes lay eggs. These are laid in piles of vegetation, sawdust and manure heaps, where they are incubated by the heat of decomposition. Grass snakes eat small mammals, amphibians and some fish and consequently are often found in damper areas or near ponds. Grass snakes go into hibernation during October and awake in March / April. Smooth Snake - Coronella Austriaca The smooth snake is our rarest snake. They are found in the heathland areas of Dorset, Hampshire and Surrey and may still exist in parts of Berkshire, Wiltshire and West Sussex. They are a similar colour to adders, being generally greyish-brown to red-brown but again have a series of unjoined darker spots or short cross bars along the back, with a secondary series of dark spots on the sides. Smooth snakes are generally up to 55 centimetres long and eat lizards, mice, voles and spiders. They inhabit dry sandy hillside heathland sloping down to a marshy valley for water. Adder or Viper - Vipera Bereus Young adders and females have a background colour of brown or reddish brown, with a thick, bold, continuous darker brown zigzag marking along their backs. Mature males are grey or silvery-grey with similar thick charcoal grey markings. They usually grow to about 60 centimetres in length. The adder is found throughout Britain but is most abundant in the southwest of England and parts of Scotland. Adders prefer dry sandy heathland, which is adjacent to wet, even boggy, valley bottoms, where they like to spend the summer months. The adder is Britain's only venomous snake, but bites are rarely fatal. The adder has, unfairly, gained a bad reputation in the public's mind because it is venomous. It is actually a timid creature and bites to people and domestic and farm animals are uncommon; the majority of people bitten have either picked up an adder or have accidentally trodden on one. In the unlikely event of being bitten, it
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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Hi Gemma You're right; the contents look harmless enough - it's the context which is wrong, ie having snakes as 'pests' in the same series as rats, wasps etc. Maybe they should get rid of it altogether, or have a separate page for interesting / protected species ? |
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administrator
Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Will the flip side is it may be the first place the public are going to look for information if they see the animals as pests. Making the context correct. The first line of:
There are only three species of snake found in this country and they are all protected by law gives the councils pest control department I nice 'get out' if they get any calls. Though my first reaction to the cover sheet was the same as yours I was expecting a far more negative document, as it is they seem to be tackling the issue of the publics perception of snakes in a constructive way. To put into perspective I don't personally see moles, mice or wasps and bees as pests either and I've yet to be in the least bit bothered by brown tailed moth catipillars despite having to work alongside them in brambles a few times Edited by GemmaJF |
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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I see your point Gemma but I can't help thinking more people will get the wrong message when seeing the title page... I would prefer them to get rid of the sheet altogether. I agree about the term 'pest' too - we just found scorpions, black widows and a nose-horned viper in our hotel garden in Corfu - for me and the kids that was a fantastic result, but maybe not for some ... |
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administrator
Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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I don't disagree with you Will regarding the wrong message on the title page, irritating and misleading are words that spring to mind. If though they remove the sheet, I can see irrate Joe Public not getting the message that the animals are protected and maybe getting somebody less sympathetic than ourselves on the phone to 'do something about it' Difficult one! |
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