WHY is predation in wildlife sometimes thought as being cruel?
Many creatures prey on others.
Why? Basically it is to keep the balance of species no matter how large or small.
For example lions, tigers, crocodiles and wolves, just to mention a few, prey on deer and other smaller mammals to nourish themselves.
That enables them to continue giving birth to their young and ensures each of their species continue to survive and propagate.
Without this, the animals preyed on would multiply out of control. Disease also controls them and as a rule this predation is accepted (plenty of it expressed on TV).
Throughout Britain predation takes place, but some of the species involved are described as cruel.
Why? The same scenario exists as that involving large mammals stated earlier.
A fine example is that members of the public have pointed out instances of sparrow hawks taking small birds such as sparrows, blue tits from their bird tables – ie the birds that tend to turn up on a regular basis knowing that food is present.
Your local sparrowhawk treats this exactly the same, a gathering of small birds becomes his regular feeding spot – “Just the job.”
We as humans experience this predation mainly during the winter months. Throughout the rest of the year they are out in the countryside surviving just the same; catching small birds to survive and ensuring the propagation of their species.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the rabbit populations were decimated, ravaged by the extremely contagious viral disease myxomatosis.
One of their main predators, the buzzards, suffered as a consequence and were almost wiped out. Today they are now one of the most common birds of prey locally and thankfully they are not persecuted as in times past.
Back to predation. Throughout the natural world there are very few species that are not predators.
In the insect world the eating of another species is rampant (I like that expression). Here in Britain bees, wasps, ladybirds, spiders, are just a few that like nothing better than munching on others – even cannibalism is rife.
The ladybird, a beautiful looker, enjoys nothing more than crunching away at aphids and spiders as well as trapping small insects.
Common birds such as robins, blackbirds, sparrows and swallows all prey on other species – worms, bugs, and the like.
Almost every living species in wildlife is a predator, eating one another – it’s all part of wildlife.
Their feeding seems to be acceptable; it is only if they are observed closely that they are then classed as nasty.
The point I’m trying to get over is that when interested in wildlife, sometimes predation may not look to our eyes very nice but without it the world of nature just would not exist as we know it. By the way, the world’s greatest predator is you know who!
To conclude, the next two months are very important when it comes to feeding garden birds.
Most of their wild food stores will have diminished throughout the winter months, so I recommend feeding extra rations to sustain them.
Most importantly keep those feeders clean so as not to spread any disease.
Dave Moore is a nature enthusiast from Hutton Magna
