{"id":16150,"date":"2022-05-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=16150"},"modified":"2022-05-11T13:59:34","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T11:59:34","slug":"your-letters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/2022\/05\/04\/your-letters\/","title":{"rendered":"Your letters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Joyce\u2019s grandson gets creative with the contents of BBC Wildlife<\/em>! <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Inspiring young readers<\/h3>\n\n

I\u2019VE BEEN A READER OF BBC <\/em>WILDLIFE <\/em>FOR many years and continue to enjoy the wide variety of articles presented. I also find that I\u2019m still continually finding out new information and ideas about the natural world.<\/p>\n\n

I normally pass the magazines on to an old friend, but I have now started sharing BBC <\/em>Wildlife <\/em>with my young grandson. He\u2019s beginning to identify many different species and we decided to make a collage of some of his favourite wildlife pictures. I\u2019m hoping that most of them will still be around when he reaches adulthood, but in the meantime, it\u2019s wonderful for him to admire the pictures and for me to discuss the different animals with him. It\u2019s never too early to begin an appreciation of the natural world and all the wonderful creatures we share our planet with! Thank you BBC <\/em>Wildlife! <\/em><\/p>\n\n

Joyce Shakeshaft, Nottinghamshire<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

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Gillian Burke\u2019s portraits<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

I was interested to read your feature in the March edition of BBC <\/em>Wildlife <\/em>about the problems faced by female photographers.<\/p>\n\n

However, in the same issue, alongside Gillian Burke\u2019s opinion article, there is a photo of her sitting on a rock with her bare feet crossed, looking wistfully into the sky. To me, this picture is more at home in a fashion magazine than a magazine purporting to promote equality among the sexes in environmentalism.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

I don\u2019t know whether it was Gillian\u2019s choice, but I wonder if Nick Baker or Mike Dilger would be asked to pose in this way?<\/p>\n\n

If BBC <\/em>Wildlife <\/em>wants to encourage more women within wildlife and conservation careers, perhaps you should practise what you preach.<\/p>\n\n

Jackie Clark, Hertfordshire<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

GILLLIAN BURKE REPLIES: <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The key word is indeed choice. I hope that regular readers of my column get the sense that my contributions are always of my choosing, not least because they are a little left-field. I like to share the quiet and reflective ways in which I connect with nature. In this case, barefoot and looking up at the sky is a reminder that \u201cwe are all just small actors in a big universe\u201d.<\/p>\n\n

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A note on falconry laws<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

In an otherwise excellent article about a forthcoming book by Rodney Stotts (Go Wild, March 2022), it suggests that anyone who deems themselves a falconer is permitted to trap juvenile raptors. Nowhere in the article does it advise that this is not even in Europe, but according to a distant foreign jurisdiction, ie that of the USA, and is certainly not the law in the UK. I doubt that many readers have even heard of the Anacostia River, let alone realise that it is many thousands of miles from the UK!<\/span><\/p>\n\n

May I suggest that anything that may lead to such a dangerous misinterpretation is clarified within the article?<\/p>\n\n

Clive Freemantle, via email<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

MEGAN SHERSBY, EDITORIAL AND DIGITAL CO-ORDINATOR AT BBC WILDLIFE <\/em>REPLIES: <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

You\u2019re completely correct to bring this up and I should have made the geography and laws more clear in the review and in the interview. I have since amended our online version of this article.<\/p>\n\n

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Shooting and badgers<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

I read with interest the article written by Mark Carwardine (January 2022) and agree that our government\u2019s bovine tuberculosis policy is flawed.<\/p>\n\n

The policy, which allows the slaughter of thousands of badgers, is cruel. Its continuation will surely lead to local extinctions of badgers.<\/p>\n\n

What is rarely mentioned in articles that seek to expose this flawed policy is the position and connection of the shooting industry in this mass slaughter. There is an inextricable link between those people who enjoy shooting birds for fun and the slaughter of badgers. The so-called \u2018guardians of the countryside\u2019 are hell-bent on destroying anything, and this includes badgers, which will predate on the birds they wish to kill.<\/p>\n\n

In short, the shooting industry doesn\u2019t recognise sentience in any animal. At a time of climate and biodiversity crisis, this industry is reaping catastrophic damage on our wildlife.<\/p>\n\n

Sue Bliss, via email<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

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The impact of lynx<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

James Fair\u2019s article Royal <\/em>Report <\/em>Card <\/em>(March 2022) raises a number of points, of which I would like to comment on one.<\/p>\n\n

The possibility of introducing lynx is now regularly, and often rather vaguely, raised in the \u2018rewilding\u2019 context. I think, however, that environmental commentators need to address the question of the number of lynx that would be needed to have any effective control of the almost one million deer that inhabit Scotland.<\/p>\n\n

One proponent of this introduction told me he thought that at least 3,000 lynx would be required. It seems to me that this number would have a wide-ranging and considerable impact, including on groundnesting birds, amongst which I would be particularly concerned for the struggling capercaillie population. Any increase in predation would be very serious.<\/p>\n\n

Robin Noble, via email <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

JAMES FAIR REPLIES: <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

I\u2019m not convinced that the capercaillie\u2019s plight is an argument against bringing back lynx. The capercaillie is in long-term decline and could go extinct here \u2013 with or without lynx \u2013 in the next 30 years. Lynx could actually suppress fox numbers \u2013 identified as one factor behind the species\u2019 demise \u2013 but, whatever happened, restoring an ecosystem by reintroducing a predator that all our native birds co-evolved with would surely have more pros than cons.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Nuclear is not the solution<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

I normally support Mark Carwardine\u2019s outspoken comments, but to suggest, as he does in his March 2022 column, that \u201can increase in nuclear power generation\u201d would be a \u201cgame-changer\u201d is to ignore two important factors.<\/p>\n\n

The first is the massive and negative disruption, over many years, to local communities. Perhaps Mark should look up the website of the local campaigners against Sizewell C to understand the enormity not just of site vehicles passing almost continuously through small villages, but also the ensuing reduction in the biodiversity of many habitats, including the adjacent RSPB Minsmere reserve.<\/p>\n\n

The second factor is the expensive decommissioning at the end of the power station\u2019s working life. Plus, the safe and long-term storage of hazardous spent radioactive waste.<\/p>\n\n

Richard Stewart, Ipswich<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

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CORRECTIONS<\/span> <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

March 2022 Q&A, \u2018Are there any venomous lizards?\u2019 We omitted the Komodo dragon as one of the world\u2019s venomous lizards.<\/p>\n\n

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Answers to Spot The Difference<\/h4>\n\n
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GET IN TOUCH<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Email <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

wildlifeletters@immediate.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post<\/strong> <\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

BBC Wildlife, <\/em>Eagle House Bristol, BS1 4ST<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By contacting us you consent to let us print your letter in BBC <\/em>Wildlife. <\/em>Letters may be edited.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

STAG BEETLE: GETTY<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Inspiring young readers I\u2019VE BEEN A READER OF BBC WILDLIFE FOR many years and continue to enjoy the wide variety of articles presented. I also find that I\u2019m still continually finding out new information and ideas about the natural world. I normally pass the magazines on to an old friend, but I have now started […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":16148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"100","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"100","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_100-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_100-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"May-2022","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"May-2022","purple_external_id":"May-2022-100-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"May-2022-100-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000087231||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000087231||","purple_android_product":"com.im.wildlife.491","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.wildlife.491","purple_ios_product":"com.im.wildlife.491","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.wildlife.491","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"58d61955-0ac4-406c-83f1-ab6f21d86b70","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2022-05-06T07:48:10Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"487c3a77-da37-43b9-83a2-2ec74d3ccf16","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2022-05-11T11:59:43Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/ASHw6d9o3Q7mDoi7HTTzPFg","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[29],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/04\/0bcb6224-ea64-4733-b514-f32039794247.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/04\/0bcb6224-ea64-4733-b514-f32039794247.jpg",1393,1121,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/04\/0bcb6224-ea64-4733-b514-f32039794247-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/04\/0bcb6224-ea64-4733-b514-f32039794247-300x241.jpg",300,241,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/04\/0bcb6224-ea64-4733-b514-f32039794247-768x618.jpg",768,618,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/04\/0bcb6224-ea64-4733-b514-f32039794247-1024x824.jpg",800,644,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/04\/0bcb6224-ea64-4733-b514-f32039794247.jpg",1393,1121,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/04\/0bcb6224-ea64-4733-b514-f32039794247.jpg",1393,1121,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Inspiring young readers I\u2019VE BEEN A READER OF BBC WILDLIFE FOR many years and continue to enjoy the wide variety of articles presented. 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