From: "E.J. Totty", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>For a group of people so concerned about the environment, local ecology and
>being divorced from nature this seems rather perverse.
> --snip--
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>--
--snip--
>I think a ban on fox hunting will be the worst thing to happen
>to foxes ever.
>
>Steve.
Steve, & Neil,
I dunno, Steve.
Here in the US, there have been several bans on hunting
various things with dogs (hounds, if you will), and the species have
bounded back in numbers that could not be ignored. For instance,
Black Bear & Cougar (mountain lion).
In an isolated environment, it could happen as someone
has already indicated (Jersey, I believe?).
Here's what I think will happen:
You will have a steady increase in the actual population
of the fox. Especially in the urban areas, cats and squirrel populations
will be diminished. People will complain that their cats are disappearing,
along with small dogs, and they will buy more to compensate.
If Britain is as 'catty' as the US, there will be one hell of a
feed, and a corresponding increase in the fox population.
Either people will adopt the fox as a kind of 'hedge hog',
or they will come to their senses and return to the themes of the
past. I think the former before the latter, with sympathizers putting
dog food out for the foxes.
This will lead to a veritable population explosion, and possibly
other things as well.
At any rate, at some point somebody -- in government -- will
come to his senses and point out that, once again, man has upset the
balance and instead of doing nature a favor, has instead tipped the
scales in favor of a biased result (so, what else is new?).
My few ounces worth of gold.
--
You're assuming the word "countryside" in the US meaning of the term.
There is little wild countryside in the UK. This is one of the most
densely populated countries on Earth. 93% of people live in urban
areas. If there isn't a hospitable environment for a species, it
dies off, and I seriously doubt there would be for the fox in the
highly maintained countryside that passes for the "outdoors" here.
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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