It’s that time of year again when the sound of gun fire will be heard across Westcott and the surrounding area, and this can only mean one thing – shooting season is upon us.
The history of pheasant shooting in the UK goes back to the 16th century. Initially a small-scale activity, it gained popularity during the Regency period in the early 19th century, when the advent of the percussion cap gun made shooting more efficient. Things progressed further in the mid-19th century with the introduction of the breech loading shotgun. This enabled large numbers of gamebirds to be shot in a short period of time paving the way for the development of driven shoots. By the 1820’s driven game shoots were taking place across large estates and were further popularised by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria who promoted this pastime in the 1840’s.
Impacts on natural wildlife
Each year, game shooting events across the UK release 47 million pheasants and 10 million red-legged partridges into the countryside. Both these non-native species significantly impact ecosystems nationwide. The sudden influx of these birds disrupts native ground-nesting bird populations, as they now face increased competition for food, once the game birds’ supplementary feeding ceases. Additionally, the high density of game birds attracts more predators and scavengers, further increasing predation pressure on native bird species.
To combat the increased number of predators attracted to the sites, gamekeepers have been found to deliberately target foxes, stoats, and weasels, as these animals are drawn to the unnaturally large concentrations of birds. Unfortunately, non-discriminating traps and poison used to control predator numbers have also claimed the lives of badgers, hedgehogs, sheep, cats, and dogs. Even protected birds of prey, such as owls and kestrels, have fallen victim to these measures. Annually, pheasant shooting is responsible for the deaths of nearly 5 million wild birds and mammals due to snares, poison, and body-crushing traps used to control predation around shoots.
Impacts on natural environments
The massive increase in pheasant populations can lead to habitat degradation, altering the structure of hedgerows and woodland and changing the delicate biodiversity balance within eco systems. A report from the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust also noted that released pheasants impact reptile colonies in and around woodlands. In particular the game birds predate young lizards and snakes following release in August and September, before the reptiles find places to hibernate. Evidence suggests that the decline of some rare species, including the loss of adders to the brink of extinction, has been caused by the uncontrolled release of millions of pheasants by shooting estates.
The pheasant shooting industry is now worth £2 billion annually, with the majority of birds bred in captivity on game farms. In recent years there have been concerns around the welfare of these birds bred on such an industrial scale, resulting in millions of artificially-hatched birds being subjected to the rigours of intensive farming, including the liberal use of drugs and painful mutilations in an attempt to limit bird-on bird-aggression caused by the overcrowded conditions. The widescale use of antibiotics in these birds also leads to the excretion in droppings, which subsequently alters soil quality and biodiversity when released into the wild.
The use of lead shot in pheasant shooting causes significant environmental contamination, with an estimated 2,500 tonnes of lead shot deposited annually. This poses a risk to wildlife with the danger of ingestion by other birds and animals which can lead to poisoning and long-term ecological damage.
This traditional pastime which we have inherited has grown exponentially, resulting in negative impacts on wider ecosystems. Britan is the only European country that offers the opportunity to kill such large numbers of released non-native species. With the UK being one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries, is it acceptable to just say, ‘it’s part of our tradition’, as if this is enough of an excuse to keep damaging our environment? There are many traditions of the past – cockfighting and bear baiting for example, which we have thankfully realised are not appropriate in today’s society. Perhaps it’s time to reassess pheasant shooting and let go of the past in favour of a brighter future.
Nancy Lund
References
The History Of The Pheasant In Britain | Bird Spot
Most pheasants sold for food ‘contain lead shot’ – BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56158777
The impact of pheasant releases – Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (gwct.org.uk)