[NatureNS] Re: star-nosed moles

From: John Sollows <nhungjohn@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <CAL4T0NxZFnr3B_ZPmxenDge14oFW48NSDW0HT2zdgF2-==049A@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2016 13:43:09 -0400
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I agree, Fritz. Ya gotta have both the education and the regulations, =
wiht the education coming first, normally.  That way, the rational, =
sensible folks see the light and support initiatives they otherwise may =
ignore or oppose. =20

I wonder how many good initiatives got/get shot down because too few =
people got/get it...
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Fritz McEvoy=20
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 12:20 PM
  Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Re: star-nosed moles


  Hi All,

      Education is certainly part of the solution but so are strong =
regulations. The real solution is to make not properly controlling your =
cat and/or antisocial ATV behavior socially unacceptable much as was =
done for cleaning up after your dog, drinking and driving and/or smoking =
in public or around children. It won't be an easy thing to do and it =
could take decades to succeed (and there will always be those who think =
rules only apply to others) but it can be done. All the best.

                           Fritz McEvoy=20





-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----

  From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on =
behalf of David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
  Sent: January 26, 2016 11:03 AM
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
  Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Re: star-nosed moles=20

  Hi Nick & All,                                Jan 26, 2016
      I agree Nick. Public education beats laws & law enforcement hands =
down. I have faith that informed people will on average make prudent =
choices which fit their immediate circumstances better than any =
regulation can.=20
      This may be a bias on my part but it seems that people are most =
out of touch with reality when acting collectively [TNR, war against =
chickens in town, Material Safety Data Sheets] and usually able to make =
sensible choices when not exposed to misinformation overload or =
hamstrung by regulations.
      And it takes so long to get a "turn left" regulation in place that =
by the time it becomes effective a "turn right" regulation will often be =
urgently needed.
     =20
      Yt, DW, Kentville
     =20
    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: Nicholas Hill=20
    To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
    Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 9:13 AM
    Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Re: star-nosed moles


    No, but it is silly to think we can legislate that every cat stays =
indoors, even those of owners who tend their cats, feed birds at feeders =
our of reach of cats, bring in cats when there are obvious birds around, =
bring them in at night, leave long grass for meadow spp., leave brush =
piles for refuge..=20


    Before I get a cease and desist, make sure we are solving the most =
egregious cases: ferals, unneutereds, barns full. It's all about doing =
what we can and being models, not waving sticks. Our cats have taken =
shrews mice and voles but no evidence of birds.


    How about starting with cat control (barns, neutering, confiscation =
of feral cats) and moving into education..what you can do...not a No =
Cats outside ever rule? Then we look at the data. Does any one have the =
detailed report on results and methodology of the CWS study?=20


    This is a good thread..threats facing birds, valuable biodiversity =
and ecological indicator.=20


    Nick


    On Tue, Jan 26, 2016 at 8:53 AM, Randy Lauff <randy.lauff@gmail.com> =
wrote:

      But Nick, something so preventable, and easily preventable...to =
save so much wildlife.=20


      It is not silly.


      Randy


      _________________________________
      RF Lauff
      Way in the boonies of
      Antigonish County, NS.


      On 26 January 2016 at 08:34, Nicholas Hill <fernhillns@gmail.com> =
wrote:

        Darrell, Randy=20
        we cant lock everyone up who drives ATVs, who leaves cars =
idling, who cuts down trees unnecessarily, who doesn't pick up after =
their dog, who has the thermostat set at 78F, who cuts grass rather than =
has a biodiverse butterfly garden.


        This is silly


        Nick


        On Sun, Jan 24, 2016 at 11:26 PM, <darrell@abolitphotos.ca> =
wrote:

          For some reason, cats will kill star-nosed moles and plenty of =
them but they won't eat them. I wonder why, there must be a reason, =
maybe a scent gland.



          I'm not sure why people think that keeping cats in at night =
will cure the problem, maybe lessen it by 1/4. The true cure is to not =
allow housecats to roam free, (same law as for dogs) they must be in a =
pen, leash or under control, the same as any other pet. This will near =
totally cure the problem.



          Coyotes love the taste of cats, our DNR found 3 cat collars in =
one coyote stomach. I think that if people really do love their cats, =
they would contain them so not to get run over or ate. I don't believe =
people think about them be eaten though.



          Housecats are a problem in the rural areas, the same as they =
are anywhere else. A roaming cat kills no matter where it resides.  I =
know of two different houses that have about 15 cats each, lovely, just =
xxxxxxx lovely. The best way to get rid of mice is to trap them, rats =
too. Cats will not tacke full grown rats, seen them run from them, baby =
rats maybe. Education and law is what is needed. It seems there is some =
sort of left over scare from the black plague to allow cats to roam and =
kill at will. Be known that the cats just spread the plague further by =
hosting fleas.



          It is past time to make it law to contain your pets, all pets, =
no exceptions. Only then will this problem be solved and not until.







          =
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=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

          On Sun, 24 Jan 2016 17:27:59 -0400, David Currie =
<david_currie@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:

            Hi All

            We sometimes get caught up with the estimated numbers quoted =
from EC or others as being totally accurate for some reason, though =
always expressed in an estimate or within a certain range. I don't have =
to tell this group that science is based on fact with those facts =
extrapolated to give us some idea. Cod numbers, seal numbers, feral cat =
numbers etc. to make a comparison.  Is the number of birds really that =
important other than it' a lot and getting worse as free-roaming  cats =
increase? Don't we think that if we lose 350 million or 100 or 70 =
million land birds/small animals to cats in Canada a year, it's too many =
when we can avoid it? Do we always have to complain about collisions, =
habitat destruction etc. to lessen the guilt we have about our pet cat?

            This is a human issue of attitude and it is important that =