Mr Packham, it would seem, is off on his holidays. This week, he has been visiting Cowny in North Wales. Chris makes no secret of his love of animal and birdlife, and indeed, his support for extreme behaviour in the name of eco-protests.
On his Twitter account, he boasts of ripping down posters which had been put up around town warning people about the local seagulls.
“If you were plagued with rabid Velociraptors or Xenomorphs from LV-426 I’d be more sympathetic but . . . gulls don’t ‘attack’ - they eat”, was Packham’s excuse for his vandalism.
We all know from his support for protest groups like Just Stop Oil that Packham isn’t against a bit of vandalism in support of what he classes as a ‘worthy’ cause. But what about the people of Cowny; and what about the more widespread issue of seagulls in towns which, contrary to what Packham might say, are aggressive and do attack, albeit if they are taking food or protecting their young.
“Attack is maybe a strong word, but they have become incredibly aggressive. Having been on the receiving end of 2 whopping gulls working together in Scarborough, I can tell you it wasn't just unpleasant it was terrifying”, one person replied on Twitter.
Another, a local, explained that:
“The seagulls are fed by tourists on the Quay and they have become aggressive and swoop in at people eating regardless of if that person has fed any of them. It's a problem caused by people and I understand your stance saying it’s their nature and naturally you'll defend seagulls, which I respect but the posters are there to educate the tourists and locals who feed the gulls. Maybe the posters should be reworded.”
It isn’t just in seaside towns that gulls are causing increasing amounts of conflict between humans and the gulls. Resident of Hyndburn in Lancashire have been ‘terrorised’ by birds circling the town’s new rubbish tip, with residents claiming that they are devaluing house prices, and that they are afraid to let their children play outside.
At Greengates Builders Merchants, staff can no longer eat their lunch outside as the gulls simply swoop on them and take their food, while some of their stock has been spoilt by bird muck.
Last week, a young girl visiting from Sweden was cut on the hand after being swooped upon by a gull in Lyme Regis, Dorset, and required a trip to A&E for a tetanus shot.
July and August is often peak season for seagulls in coastal resorts. Keane Duncan a councillor from North Yorkshire Council has described the problems faced in towns such as Scarborough as being “noise, mess, damage to property and gull muggings, with birds diving and swooping on pets, children, and councillors as well.”
Yes, gulls are simply trying to acquire their next meal, and it’s probably true that human behaviour and food waste has created this aggressive behaviour. But equally, is it right that people can’t eat their lunch outdoors, or sit on the beach – or even in their own gardens – because of a fear of gull attacks?
The posters Packham pulled down were a message to visitors warning them about aggressive gulls, and discouraging people from feeding them. Surely, in this situation, that's a helpful message? Feeding gulls has encouraged them to associate humans with food; if people don't feed them, they're less likely to take food from humans.
Gulls are aggressive over food – there's no two ways about it. For Packham to deny this – and to actively vandalise the attempts of one seaside town to minimise gull attacks – won't sit well among the many people who deal with gulls on a daily basis.
Comentários