Public enemy No 1? Outcry as 5,000 hedgehogs are sentenced to death

Scottish Natural Heritage to allow hedgehog cull

source: Paul Kelbie
Independent December 18 2002 p1

Scottish Natural Heritage is to allow a cull of hedgehogs from some Scottish islands where they are a threat to sea birds. The isalnds are Benbecula, South Uist, and North Uist. The hedgehogs moved there in 1974, brought by someone wanting garden pest control. The birds at risk include redshank, dunlin and snipe, all birds that have nests on the ground. There has been an estimated drop in numbers of some of these bird species of almost 60% in the five years to 2002. Critics of the cull argue that the hedgehogs should be transferred elsewhere rather than killed.
WA,LW