This is the type of bullshit we simply have to call out. And not just because that isn't a deer.
Why are so many people that claim to love nature so so ignorant of it? So many "animal lovers" seem to misunderstand animals and nature.
A very unusual scence, once again showing magnificence of mother nature manifesting through it's creations- female
#leopard
, caring and guarding a
#deer
cub, against threat of a lurking
#hyena
Absolutely delighted that Trophy Hunting by
@Nikolaj_Bi
and me has won
@BritishEcolSoc
Marsh Book of the Year as the "book that has had the greatest influence on the science of ecology in any two-year period".
Today I've reached what my daughter calls the last respectable square number. As I get older, lose friends, I become more aware than while getting old is bad, the alternate is worse.
Those of us who have a chance to get older are the lucky ones.
The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibtion) Bill is dead.
A pity. If those pushing it had accepted conservation ammendments it would've passed & done good. But ideology wouldn't be swayed and it died.
It was never about conservation. Never about wildlife.
Never about communities.
Today I've seen an elderly lady struggle with a number plate recognition meter (I paid her fee - £1.35 so no claps), I've struggled with yet another bloody parking app and saw a guy in his 60s use a self checkout for the 1st time. Badly.
This stuff isn't working for everyone
Comments please...personally, I find this at best very odd. At worst, positively harmful. Injured prey species are food for many other species. Not sure what KWS are doing here.
This week, two common zebras in Meru National Park sustained injuries resulting from unsuccessful predatory attacks.
KWS team of experienced veterinarians with support from
@SheldrickTrust
worked tirelessly to provide essential medical treatment and rehabilitation for these…
Watching the trophy hunting import ban being "debated" in Parliament.
It is awful to watch. Self congratulatory braying, casual racist tropes, misinformation. Genuinely shameful stuff from people too arrogant or too stupid to realise they don't know what they're talking about
I had cause to call for an ambulance recently. It all turned out fine but long story short...there are no ambulances. You're on your own. Unless you're basically dead they aren't coming for you so make sure you have a plan for you and your family that doesn't involve a 999 call
I'm in the area so seemed rude not to pay a visit. My son hiding poorly. Lovely collection of bolts and spanners at the grave. I added a m10 coach bolt I happened to have in my pocket. Felt like the right thing to do.
This is bullshit - Gibb clearly understands nothing about illness or education.
When did we end up with such fuckuseless ministers? Seriously- have they always been this bad and we've just let it slide?
I doubt that the MPs who spoke in support of this Bill actually care about the impact of it sadly...
We live in a world where facts seldom matter and where crowd pleasing is more important than consequences.
The thing Twitter/X has taught me is that you can pretty much say what you want about anyone, or anything, if you're brazen enough & don't care.
It's sadly also a lesson I've learnt about politics.
Why trust scientists? Because literally the only thing we have is our integrity.
People on here angry with the King for not including trophy hunting ban in the King's speech 🤦 It seems their knowledge of how UK politics works is about as solid as their opinion on evidence-based conservation.
The
@spellar
trophy hunting import bill becomes more of a mess daily - not only does it go
against conservation evidence (including govt's own scientific panel) but is now becoming a diplomatic issue.
"We don't want colonial interference from Britain"
Those pushing the trophy import ban could have accepted the proposed conservation amendment and stopped this. Instead they chose not to - driven by ideology and misinformation. Lumley et al need to take a hard look at themselves.
Hugely disingenuous of
@BornFreeFDN
to frame this the way they have.
The "highly contested" information was peer reviewed science. The "hunting advocates" are independent scientists advocating evidence based approaches. Shameful even by BF tactics 🤦
A thorough and well written piece. The final sentence sums up this government's attitude to conservation - don't worry about facts or evidence, just go with you feel... 🤦
A lot of push back against this pretty shameful piece of propaganda.
I don't get why this group and so many others like them can't stick to facts. Misinformation seems almost hardwired 🤷
This is what the government's own advisory body said about the proposed trophy hunting import bill. This was ignored in favour of populism and an agenda being driven by key people.
This legalisation has *nothing* to do with conservation. The govt know it will cause harm.
Increasing posts in my TL supporting conspiracy theory that the current weather pattern is a government engineered attempt to cause a food shortage. And thence "centralise production". Apparently, it's all being done by planes cloud seeding.
NEW: Conservatives are safeguarding scientific research from the denial of biology and the steady creep of political correctness.
@michelledonelan
announces plans to depoliticise science at
#CPC23
Last week Adam Cruise, the head of
@CBTHunting
brought out a report on Botswana. It was riddled with agena-led misinformation. Here is the official response from Botswana.
The final elephant update.
Nobody wanted the free elephants. In real life, there are no large-scale alternatives to traditional herd management, which includes culling and hunting.
This is both wrong and defamatory- it is not made by hunters, and it links to a preprint of a data paper that supports all figures.
@CitysFElephants
- you need to delete this nonsense
Wonderful to see
@AmyDickman4
recognised again for her conservation work. Along with the many other accolades it shows what those that actually know about conservation think of her work. 👏
Proud to have been recognised alongside Alayne by
@DisneyConserves
as one of their pioneering women in
#conservation
! An incredible line up of inspirational women, & the women (and men!) in all the wider teams that enable them should be recognised as well
This tweet nails 2 things.
1. People don't realise that trophy hunting is about large scale revenue generation
2. Photographers spend a lot less money and try to spend even less.
More than once I've sat in lodges while Photographic tourists show off about how little they spent
@AustinFarle
@DrJonMillett
@ecoevoenviro
I would bet that most of the people who spend large amounts of money to hunt and kill 'exotic' animals, also kill lots of more common animals inexpensively. If it was only about the hunt, why not take up wildlife photography? They could save themselves a lot of money.
So far today I'm:
Involved in 1million dollars of SCI funding to the House of Lords.
In league with the NRA.
Running multiple Twitter accounts for misinformation purposes.
Am "evil incarnate", disingenuous, a liar and a coward.
If only life was really as exciting 🤦😂
#blocked
My 5 Yr old has just had literally the most massive meltdown ever in Asda. He wants to buy toys now - and made sure everyone knew about it. It was...quite something.
Here's a odd one...My Dyer both not condoning abuse of someone whilst *checks notes* stating she will live to regret not being found guilty. And he reposted it himself, so pleased was he with her being "vilified forever".
Article in
@thetimes
based on letter by me,
@AmyDickman4
@dilysroe
@DrHWeb
&>150 other conservation scientists and practitioners to
@RishiSunak
regarding the poorly drafted trophy import bill. Shocking to read what internal govt docs say (see image) 🤦
Great review of
@Nikolaj_Bi
and my book Trophy Hunting by
@EdStoddardZA
.
"This reviewer’s view of the subject has certainly been enriched by this book, and made me rethink some of my own predispositions. That is the mark of a fine work" Read full review 👇
It's a common misconception that hunters don't head shoot animals because "it spoils the trophy" and that shots to the chest are "cruel".
In fact, they don't head shoot for this reason 👇 It's unethical
@natalieben
What happened was that some peers listened to the evidence from the neutral science community and the government's own advisory Committee. It isn't pro hunt - it is pro evidence led conservation. Disappointing that a green peer would be so against conservation science
Frost this morning.
Lot of people clearing car windows the hard way.
Confession time - for 30 years I've been putting really quite hot water on the car glass to.clear it. Quick and easy - never ever had a problem. I'll continue to do it regardless of the inevitable replies 😘
We are in a climate-nature crisis—and it is time to lock the science into law—if we want a liveable future. We need everyone to act now, join
@cebill_now
, and back the Climate and Ecology Bill.
#CEBill
Classic Dom. Not just the personal repost...but the idea that UK hats are causing "destruction" of wildlife in Canada. Utter bilge - as I suspect he knows.
This is very instructive in understanding celebrity involvement with conservation. Peter Egan is an outspoken opponent of trophy hunting.
The project he's patron of is in Save Valley Conservancy.
This is a poster child of effective TH in conservation 🤦🤦 Unbelievable.
When
@HenrySmithUK
Trophy bill failed, the popular view was that a handful of peers blocked it. This isn't true. This letter is signed by >60 Conservative peers, and there are more from other parties for sure.
The Bill was based on lies and ignored evidence. That's why it died.
@HSIUKorg
@DrAmirKhanGP
There's so much wrong with the "facts" presented here that is Dr Khan was talking about medical.matters (which is his area of expertise) he would likely be struck off.
And yet apparently it is fine to spread misinformation and use a Dr title when talking about conservation? OK.
These "myths" are ever more desperate.
The biggest problem those advancing bans have is the fact trophy hunting can and does benefit habitat, species and communities. And many of them know it. They've said it to me.
That's why we see misinformation and lies being trotted out.
2 joists don't make a floor...but they make a good start! And yeah, blah blah standing on unfinished floor blah blah..it's my floor, my risk. So pipe down.
This is just nonsense.
Would they prefer her to end up as cutlets and curry?
The owner should just ignore this and do what they want. At some point you have to say enough is enough.
With the UK trophy hunting bill reaching Committee on Tues, it's a good time to consider species that trophy hunting threatens 👇
Spoiler - none.
There are a number that the ban threatens - plus predicted habitat losses. Known adverse effect govt ignores in pursuit of votes.
#TrophyHunting
. A🧵. The UK's Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill will have its 2nd reading in the Lords on Friday. The rationale assumes that legal hunting for trophies threatens many species. The UK Government says the bill will protect ~7000 species. We investigated 1/n
More misinformation from the HSI network - I do wonder whether any of the groups campaigning against trophy hunting know anything at all about the topic, or whether they just pound out misinformation because there is literally zero accountability
@HSIUKorg
Except it wasn't a handful..
Here's more than 60, and that's just the.tory peers.
The Bill was a harmful mess, poorly handled by Fookes. Most people in Africa see it as racist
In tomorrow's Wild Wild Life newsletter, I'm taking a look at an influential new book on
#trophyhunting
, plus the world's tiniest vertebrate and a new to science member of the primrose family.
Sign up to receive it for free:
@newscientist
Imagine how surprised they'll be when they realise the species in that photo will still be able to be imported. Few supporting the bill seem to have any basic animal knowledge
@CWitvrouwen
@BritishEcolSoc
Not actually what you said though...in fact you accuse both the authors of the book (hello) and a highly respected professional body of
"Bias" and what amounts to professional misconduct.
Which would be serious if it weren't just you acting out.
Zebras are often more resilient than we think. When they’re injured by predators and receive gashing wounds it’s easy to write them off as being guaranteed to not survive (depends on its severity of course) but it’s not unusual to see individuals with healed scars from attacks 🧵
Lovely to link in with
@WildPlanetTrust
@PaigntonZoo
to talk about Human-wildlife coexistence and living with predators. The subject indeed of The Deadly Balance.
Key take home - successful conservation is about people
So much was written about this when it happened. It got folded in to the trophy hunting debate with vocal campaigners archly suggesting that the elephants had been deliberately killed to make some point they were never clear on. Actual cause now confirmed
Don't get me wrong - the charity and their aims seem fabulous.
Just surprised* that
@PeterEgan6
doesn't seem to have done any due diligence here. To not realise how Save Valley Conservancy works suggests he hasn't really read *anything* about trophy hunting.
*not surprised.
This is very instructive in understanding celebrity involvement with conservation. Peter Egan is an outspoken opponent of trophy hunting.
The project he's patron of is in Save Valley Conservancy.
This is a poster child of effective TH in conservation 🤦🤦 Unbelievable.
@Alexander_Lees
I was talking to a shoot host yesterday about their industry. His comment was "half of those c&%£s are their own worst enemies".
He said that some people's attitude and outlook disgusted him. He's only working with small shoots now and only with people he knows.
100% this - amazing how many organisations and individuals have felt unable to speak out against populist but wrong planned legislation.
@CBTHunting
and their founder Eduardo have nothing to be proud of even if their legislation passes (and that looks far from certain)
Conservation is practical; what 'feels nice' is often plain wrong. What is particularly awful is the extent to which conservation orgs have been bullied against speaking out by
@CBTHunting
& others. I would say killing with kindness, but it's rather killing with self-centredness.
14 OF THE MOST OFTEN QUOTED MYTHS OF TROPHY HUNTING HAVE BEEN DEBUNKED WITH FACTUAL INFORMATION
@prowildlife
and colleagues have produced a NEW Report:
@AndrewPMunro
Seems like a bold statement.
Looks like a fence line behind them and well trimmed grass. Very close observer, relaxed animals...
I'd say these animals are safe from hunters
The old insult-and-run eh
@simon_r_tucker
? I couldn't care less whether you think I'm a conservationist or not. Your opinion of me doesn't change the evidence or my level of expertise on the topic.
I discuss this issue in The Deadly Balance - it is easy to dismiss numbers to predator loss when they aren't your animals, or talk compensation when you neither write nor cash the cheque
So. We’re likely talking primarily about ‘sheep’ not ‘livestock’ here.
12,000 kills = 0.18% of the 🇫🇷 national flock.
For the 🇬🇧 that would = c.60,000 sheep/year.
Even 0.03% of the UK flock = c10,000 kills.
Easy to dismiss when it’s not your flock.
Glad I did this before the wind came. Close to 200m2 of roof membraned and battened. It is a warm roof - hence you can see insulation boards. It has been a long few months of work and worry getting to this point. Saved a lot on labour though.
I'm adding roofing to my CV
Can you believe there are people who support the killing of wild, endangered animals by blocking legislation that would protect them from becoming trophies?
It’s almost unfathomable, isn’t it?
Please sign this URGENT petition and help us
#GetTheBanDone
➡️
So there’s this one tattoo design that’s pretty popular.
A wolf face on one side and a skull on the other side.
I love this tattoo design because the message behind it is just so unintentionally GREAT....🧵
@HsaChair
The bubal hartebeest was largely wiped out by the French military.
Mammoths weren't driven extinction by human hunters
Javan tigers were essentially wiped out by agricultural expansion and "pest control"
The dodo was taken easily as food - hardly "hunters"
More misinformation- more than 60 peers wrote to oppose this Bill.and that was just Tory peers. It is a waste of parliamentary time pushing this harmful approach again.
Thank you John
@Spellar
MP for championing a new Private Member’s Bill to ban hunting trophy imports and taking a stand against this horrific practice.
The last Bill was deliberately wrecked by a handful of pro-hunting Lords. This time the Government must finally
#GetTheBanDone
…
A long but important read regarding the well publicised killing of an elephant in South Africa a couple of weeks ago. I suspect those that most need to read it won't, but here is is...