You’re Kidding

Following on from a very successful FoHESC Sunday working party, I was back down at the local reserve this morning to recee the site for Thursdays visit by the Conservation Volunteers (MK Green Gym) and to plan some alternative practical tasks, not too far from the Centre, in view of the dodgy weather forecast.

As it happened, one of the Councils local Field Officers was also on site and so we toured the facility together, looking at the work that had been completed and agreeing what new projects could be started.

Having finished our tour and as the rain started to fall, we went back into the centre for a quick coffee. Whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, I was standing in front of the large panoramic back window gazing out across the reserve, when I happened to look down and there about 5 meters from my feet, was a young Muntjac hunkered down in the grass. It seemed to be aware of my presence, but as long as I stayed still it didn’t appear to be bothered.

I called my companion over and we both watched as the youngster settled down and started to chew on some of the surrounding vegetation. We surmised that like other fawns this one had been left by it’s mother, while she was off feeding and would presumably be collected by mum, when she was ready.

Off course the opportunity was too good to miss and although shooting through the glass and somewhat obstructed by the long grass, I did manage to get a couple of usable photos.

Young Muntjac Keeping a Low profile

Returning home I started to ponder on the correct name for a young Muntjac, most young deer are normally referred to as fawn, we know, but does this also apply to Muntjac? A quick Google was needed, and - Oh my word! - what a strange and somewhat disturbing spectacle greeted me. No, it’s OK, it wasn’t one of those sites, but, by accident, I had turned up an article by Robin Page in the Daily Mail, under the heading: “Muntjac Deer Are a Threat to Our Wildlife”.

Muntjac, Mr Page would have us believe, “devour native woodland plants at a terrifying rate, destroy vital bird habitats and can go berserk if unleashed on a suburban garden. They also breed like rabbits”.

 “These little monsters” he says, “leave a trail of destruction wherever they go”....

“They also gobble up rare orchids and do untold damage to new shoots in managed, coppiced woodland, destroying both young trees and our most beautiful forest flowers, such as bluebells”......

If this is indeed the case, why had I and my colleagues spend the better part of Sunday, cutting back the young trees and scrub that are overtaking our reserve? Was Bambi slacking?

The Baby Faced Assassin ?

It gets worse, as Mr Page continues:

“But their destructive tendencies have a chilling impact on other species, too. The RSPB believes that muntjac, who devour many of the shrubs that birds nest in, may be causing woodland bird numbers to tumble”.

By this stage Mr Page appears to be consumed with a desire to eradicate a good deal more wildlife, and, reloading his verbal blunderbuss, he fires a scattershot at a broad selection of other creatures...

“And it is worth remembering that there are other villains out there. Some foreign, many native”.

“The damage being done to our native wildlife by grey squirrels - introduced from the U.S. in the late 19th century and now a problem ignored by Government - is far greater than the damage caused by muntjac”.

Spawn of the Devil! - Calm Down Dear - It's a Squirrel

 

“As is the chaos caused by native predators that have been allowed to get out of control, such as crows, magpies, sparrowhawks, badgers and foxes”.

“As a consequence, some of the most iconic birds in the countryside, including lapwings, curlews, nightingales, grey partridge and lesser-spotted woodpeckers, are being put at risk and could be heading for extinction”.

OK Mr P, I have been known to have a verbal pop at Grey Squirrels myself, and I am certainly no idealistic tree hugger (I’ve just spent a day cutting them down). I understand the need for management and control in relation to both flora and fauna, in order to maintain a healthy ecosystem. I could even have had a smidgeon of empathy with you, if you had mentioned the mink.

But, I do get concerned by the kind of message this type of article sends out, to those who are getting into wildlife for the first time. To suggest that all these creatures require culling programs (and it’s OK we can eat the outcome – see full article) is really over simplistic and very confusing for the budding new naturalist. Instead of being rightly excited by seeing their first badger, they now wonder if, according to Mr P's doctrine, they should be clubbing it to death like a stranded fur seal pup in the 1970s. We have enough nutters out there trying to randomly kill birds and other wildlife without you encouraging it through the daily bugle. Please, Mr Page, all I ask, is that you and the other wildlife sensationalists, consider the possible effects of your words more carefully.

Oh, and by the way, apparently a young Muntjac is called a kid.