Campaigners
have got it wrong
I do not think that I am a particularly cruel person. Indeed I believe
that nobody does more to prevent cruelty to fish than we anglers who are
the only people actively trying to stop those two cruel things –
pollution and poachers.
I am of the opinion, though, that those strange people who boast about
being animal rights campaigners have got it wrong, and this week I am
giving an example of just one of the reasons why I say this.
Few, if any, sections of society are in a position to observe so much
of the varied wildlife of this country.
Sitting quietly for hours on end brings anglers into contact with so many
different birds, mammals, reptiles, butterflies and other flying creatures
of the waterside, and the lives and enjoyment of anglers are much enhanced
as a result of this.
Until just a few years ago there was hardly ever a day spent fishing when
our waterside companions did not include some jolly little water voles
that dropped in with a splash and scuttled about in the reeds.
Lovely animals they are, so unlike rats that carry disease.
Smaller than, but fatter than, rats, voles have less pointed noses and
shorter tails and they are largely vegetarian creatures.
I hardly ever see a water vole now. Well meaning, but terribly misguided,
people have raided mink farms and released into the wild lots of vicious
alien mink, and mink kill voles, especially baby voles.
Since voles live for only a very short time (under two years) unless we
can do something to save them from extinction our days by the waterside
will be less enjoyable.
Keepers are trapping mink as fast as they can, but so far the ugly, vicious
creatures are winning and destroying so much of our native wildlife.