Killing machines: humble British hedgehog causes havoc in New Zealand
Brought over by British settlers to make themselves feel more at home, the diminutive mammals are thriving – which spells doom for native wildlife
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/08/killing-machines-humble-british-hedgehog-causes-havoc-in-new-zealand?CMP=soc_567
I think they are wombat size, hardly diminutive.
That’s all I can find wrong at this early stage,
Peak Warming Man said:
I think they are wombat size, hardly diminutive.
That’s all I can find wrong at this early stage,
I reckon you could get one in a breadbox
dv said:
Killing machines: humble British hedgehog causes havoc in New ZealandBrought over by British settlers to make themselves feel more at home, the diminutive mammals are thriving – which spells doom for native wildlife
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/08/killing-machines-humble-british-hedgehog-causes-havoc-in-new-zealand?CMP=soc_567
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedgehog
reading^
“…Hedgehogs occasionally perform a ritual called anointing. When the animal encounters a new scent, it will lick and bite the source, then form a scented froth in its mouth and paste it on its spines with its tongue. The purpose of this habit is unknown, but some experts believe anointing camouflages the hedgehog with the new scent of the area and provides a possible poison or source of infection to predators poked by their spines. Anointing is sometimes also called anting because of a similar behavior in birds…
Like opossums, mice, and moles, hedgehogs have some natural immunity against some snake venom through the protein erinacin in the animal’s muscular system, although it is available only in small amounts and a viper bite may still be fatal. In addition, hedgehogs are one of four known mammalian groups with mutations that protect against another snake venom, α-neurotoxin. Pigs, honey badgers, mongooses, and hedgehogs all have mutations in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor that prevent the snake venom α-neurotoxin from binding, though those mutations developed separately and independently…
..In areas where hedgehogs have been introduced, such as New Zealand and the islands of Scotland, the hedgehog has become a pest. In New Zealand it causes immense damage to native species including insects, snails, lizards and ground-nesting birds, particularly shore birds. As with many introduced animals, it lacks natural predators…
..Eradication can be troublesome. Attempts to eliminate hedgehogs from bird colonies on the Scottish islands of North Uist and Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides were met with international outrage. Eradication began in 2003 with 690 hedgehogs being killed. Animal welfare groups attempted rescues to save the hedgehogs. By 2007, legal injunctions against the killing of hedgehogs were put in place. In 2008, the elimination process was changed from killing the hedgehogs to trapping them and releasing them on the mainland”
dv said:
Peak Warming Man said:
I think they are wombat size, hardly diminutive.
That’s all I can find wrong at this early stage,
I reckon you could get one in a breadbox
European Hedgehogs 2.2 kg, 23-35 cm
dv said:
Peak Warming Man said:
I think they are wombat size, hardly diminutive.
That’s all I can find wrong at this early stage,
I reckon you could get one in a breadbox
I had a chat with the dog next door and he said ‘I bet you were thinking of badger’ and then I slammed my hand against my forehead and said Yeah and he just went back to digging his hole.
“Weight increases from around 120 g (4.2 oz) at weaning to > 1,100 g (2.4 lb) in adulthood. The maximum recorded weight is 2000 g (4.4 lb), though few wild specimens exceed 1,600 g (3.5 lb) even in autumn. Adult summer weight is typically somewhat less than in autumn, with an average of around 800 g (1.8 lb) and adult weights commonly as low as 500 g (1.1 lb). Males tend to be slightly larger than females, but sex differences in body weight are overshadowed by enormous seasonal variation.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hedgehog
Hardly a wombat-sized animal.
Michael V said:
“Weight increases from around 120 g (4.2 oz) at weaning to > 1,100 g (2.4 lb) in adulthood. The maximum recorded weight is 2000 g (4.4 lb), though few wild specimens exceed 1,600 g (3.5 lb) even in autumn. Adult summer weight is typically somewhat less than in autumn, with an average of around 800 g (1.8 lb) and adult weights commonly as low as 500 g (1.1 lb). Males tend to be slightly larger than females, but sex differences in body weight are overshadowed by enormous seasonal variation.”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hedgehog
Hardly a wombat-sized animal.
PWM said:I had a chat with the dog next door and he said ‘I bet you were thinking of badger’ and then I slammed my hand against my forehead and said Yeah and he just went back to digging his hole.
Tamb said:
Michael V said:
“Weight increases from around 120 g (4.2 oz) at weaning to > 1,100 g (2.4 lb) in adulthood. The maximum recorded weight is 2000 g (4.4 lb), though few wild specimens exceed 1,600 g (3.5 lb) even in autumn. Adult summer weight is typically somewhat less than in autumn, with an average of around 800 g (1.8 lb) and adult weights commonly as low as 500 g (1.1 lb). Males tend to be slightly larger than females, but sex differences in body weight are overshadowed by enormous seasonal variation.”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hedgehog
Hardly a wombat-sized animal.
PWM said:I had a chat with the dog next door and he said ‘I bet you were thinking of badger’ and then I slammed my hand against my forehead and said Yeah and he just went back to digging his hole.
Meanwhile, I was fact-checking, reading other pages, cutting, pasting, editing and writing – not reading newer posts.
right but we get to choose which hedgehogs and which wombadtgers to compare right
SCIENCE said:
right but we get to choose which hedgehogs and which wombadtgers to compare right
‘Hedgehog’ was also the name of a forward-launching anti-submarine mortar developed during WW2. You can see how it got its name:
It had an advantage over depth charges in that ASDIC/SONAR contact with the target could be maintained until the moment of firing.
They were in use up to the 1960s, early ’70s..
And they weren’t just used at sea.
Faced with really solidly built Japanese defence bunkers in the islands, an unknown Australian genius realised that Hedgehog mortar bombs were the ideal thing for busting those bunkers.
Launchers were mounted on the rear decks of Matilda tanks, and the bombs easily penetrated jungle canopy before bursting in a devastating way on the bunkers.
They saw only limited use before war’s end, but worked brilliantly.
Hang on…how long ago did they import them? Why haven’t they noticed this before now?
buffy said:
Hang on…how long ago did they import them? Why haven’t they noticed this before now?
I’d put my money on 19th century.
Brits brought all sorts of crap animals out this way to ‘make it more like “home”’.
It’s a wonder we’re not over run with badgers and Scottish wildcats as well.
And, my memories of childhood suggest to me that squirrels once ran amok in Sydney’s Taronga Park zoo…
captain_spalding said:
buffy said:
Hang on…how long ago did they import them? Why haven’t they noticed this before now?I’d put my money on 19th century.
Brits brought all sorts of crap animals out this way to ‘make it more like “home”’.
It’s a wonder we’re not over run with badgers and Scottish wildcats as well.
And, my memories of childhood suggest to me that squirrels once ran amok in Sydney’s Taronga Park zoo…
The British red squirrels have been overcome by the imported North American grey squirrels, there are only a few pockets left.
I was right about Taronga Park:
Both species were privately introduced to Australia in the 19th Century; GreySquirrels to Melbourne, Victoria, about 1880 (Seebeck 1984) and Palm Squirrels to Perth, Western Australia about 1898 (Jenkins 1977). Subsequently, \Grey Squirrels were introduced to Ballarat, Victoria, in 1937 and Palm Squirrels to Taronga Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales, perhaps during the 1920s. – https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/a117ced5-9a94-4586-afdb-1f333618e1e3/files/46-ind.pdf
WTF were they thinking?!
Peak Warming Man said:
captain_spalding said:
buffy said:
Hang on…how long ago did they import them? Why haven’t they noticed this before now?I’d put my money on 19th century.
Brits brought all sorts of crap animals out this way to ‘make it more like “home”’.
It’s a wonder we’re not over run with badgers and Scottish wildcats as well.
And, my memories of childhood suggest to me that squirrels once ran amok in Sydney’s Taronga Park zoo…
The British red squirrels have been overcome by the imported North American grey squirrels, there are only a few pockets left.
In Britain, I presume.
captain_spalding said:
I was right about Taronga Park:Both species were privately introduced to Australia in the 19th Century; GreySquirrels to Melbourne, Victoria, about 1880 (Seebeck 1984) and Palm Squirrels to Perth, Western Australia about 1898 (Jenkins 1977). Subsequently, \Grey Squirrels were introduced to Ballarat, Victoria, in 1937 and Palm Squirrels to Taronga Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales, perhaps during the 1920s. – https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/a117ced5-9a94-4586-afdb-1f333618e1e3/files/46-ind.pdf
WTF were they thinking?!
They must have not survived the climate or something. I don’t think they are still about.
buffy said:
captain_spalding said:
I was right about Taronga Park:Both species were privately introduced to Australia in the 19th Century; GreySquirrels to Melbourne, Victoria, about 1880 (Seebeck 1984) and Palm Squirrels to Perth, Western Australia about 1898 (Jenkins 1977). Subsequently, \Grey Squirrels were introduced to Ballarat, Victoria, in 1937 and Palm Squirrels to Taronga Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales, perhaps during the 1920s. – https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/a117ced5-9a94-4586-afdb-1f333618e1e3/files/46-ind.pdf
WTF were they thinking?!
They must have not survived the climate or something. I don’t think they are still about.
I think that Taronga implemented a very quiet extermination programme in the mid-70s.
buffy said:
Peak Warming Man said:
captain_spalding said:I’d put my money on 19th century.
Brits brought all sorts of crap animals out this way to ‘make it more like “home”’.
It’s a wonder we’re not over run with badgers and Scottish wildcats as well.
And, my memories of childhood suggest to me that squirrels once ran amok in Sydney’s Taronga Park zoo…
The British red squirrels have been overcome by the imported North American grey squirrels, there are only a few pockets left.
In Britain, I presume.
Yes.
There are feral wallabies on the Isle of Man.
captain_spalding said:
I was right about Taronga Park:Both species were privately introduced to Australia in the 19th Century; GreySquirrels to Melbourne, Victoria, about 1880 (Seebeck 1984) and Palm Squirrels to Perth, Western Australia about 1898 (Jenkins 1977). Subsequently, \Grey Squirrels were introduced to Ballarat, Victoria, in 1937 and Palm Squirrels to Taronga Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales, perhaps during the 1920s. – https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/a117ced5-9a94-4586-afdb-1f333618e1e3/files/46-ind.pdf
WTF were they thinking?!
They were called Acclimation Societies and had influential support, the most famous being Baron Von Muller the famous Victorian Botanist, who spread blackberry seeds far and wide during his collection trips for indigenous species.
PermeateFree said:
…the most famous being Baron Von Muller the famous Victorian Botanist, who spread blackberry seeds far and wide during his collection trips for indigenous species.
The bastard.
PermeateFree said:
captain_spalding said:
I was right about Taronga Park:Both species were privately introduced to Australia in the 19th Century; GreySquirrels to Melbourne, Victoria, about 1880 (Seebeck 1984) and Palm Squirrels to Perth, Western Australia about 1898 (Jenkins 1977). Subsequently, \Grey Squirrels were introduced to Ballarat, Victoria, in 1937 and Palm Squirrels to Taronga Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales, perhaps during the 1920s. – https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/a117ced5-9a94-4586-afdb-1f333618e1e3/files/46-ind.pdf
WTF were they thinking?!
They were called Acclimation Societies and had influential support, the most famous being Baron Von Muller the famous Victorian Botanist, who spread blackberry seeds far and wide during his collection trips for indigenous species.
Make that Acclimatisation Society
PermeateFree said:
captain_spalding said:
I was right about Taronga Park:Both species were privately introduced to Australia in the 19th Century; GreySquirrels to Melbourne, Victoria, about 1880 (Seebeck 1984) and Palm Squirrels to Perth, Western Australia about 1898 (Jenkins 1977). Subsequently, \Grey Squirrels were introduced to Ballarat, Victoria, in 1937 and Palm Squirrels to Taronga Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales, perhaps during the 1920s. – https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/a117ced5-9a94-4586-afdb-1f333618e1e3/files/46-ind.pdf
WTF were they thinking?!
They were called Acclimation Societies and had influential support, the most famous being Baron Von Muller the famous Victorian Botanist, who spread blackberry seeds far and wide during his collection trips for indigenous species.
I think most of the early white explorers planted things at various places along their route, I don’t think any of them survived.
The plants that is.
Peak Warming Man said:
PermeateFree said:
captain_spalding said:
I was right about Taronga Park:Both species were privately introduced to Australia in the 19th Century; GreySquirrels to Melbourne, Victoria, about 1880 (Seebeck 1984) and Palm Squirrels to Perth, Western Australia about 1898 (Jenkins 1977). Subsequently, \Grey Squirrels were introduced to Ballarat, Victoria, in 1937 and Palm Squirrels to Taronga Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales, perhaps during the 1920s. – https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/a117ced5-9a94-4586-afdb-1f333618e1e3/files/46-ind.pdf
WTF were they thinking?!
They were called Acclimation Societies and had influential support, the most famous being Baron Von Muller the famous Victorian Botanist, who spread blackberry seeds far and wide during his collection trips for indigenous species.
I think most of the early white explorers planted things at various places along their route, I don’t think any of them survived.
The plants that is.
The blackberries did. And the hawthorn. I’m sure I could think of others.
buffy said:
Peak Warming Man said:
PermeateFree said:They were called Acclimation Societies and had influential support, the most famous being Baron Von Muller the famous Victorian Botanist, who spread blackberry seeds far and wide during his collection trips for indigenous species.
I think most of the early white explorers planted things at various places along their route, I don’t think any of them survived.
The plants that is.
The blackberries did. And the hawthorn. I’m sure I could think of others.
Blackberries are a huge boon for our native birdlife.
Anywhere there are wild blackberries in melbourne, I can be sure of seeing large numbers and variety of native birds.
In NZ, first the brushtails, then the white faced heron, now the hedgehog. They really are in trouble.
> Eradication can be troublesome. Attempts to eliminate hedgehogs from bird colonies on the Scottish islands of North Uist and Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides were met with international outrage.
Oh, that sort of trouble.
captain_spalding said:
I was right about Taronga Park:Both species were privately introduced to Australia in the 19th Century; GreySquirrels to Melbourne, Victoria, about 1880 (Seebeck 1984) and Palm Squirrels to Perth, Western Australia about 1898 (Jenkins 1977). Subsequently, \Grey Squirrels were introduced to Ballarat, Victoria, in 1937 and Palm Squirrels to Taronga Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales, perhaps during the 1920s. – https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/a117ced5-9a94-4586-afdb-1f333618e1e3/files/46-ind.pdf
WTF were they thinking?!
yeah we had them at the zoo, I remember as a youngster…. they were still running around when I started as a docent 11 years ago.. but they have been ‘gone; for a number of years now… possibly because they couldn’t tell that all the baits put out were for the rats and not for them.
Historically, however, the 5 striped palm squirrels had a population explosion and it’s very hard, apparently, to keep a squirrel contained in a zoo.. so they ventured out to the surrounding areas, where the residents of South Perth got somewhat annoyed, being high rate paying residents. The introduction of dogs, cats and gorillas did nothing to quell the populations, so the baiting program began… which helped to also kill off the gorillas, there are still plenty of dogs and cats around though.
buffy said:
Peak Warming Man said:
PermeateFree said:They were called Acclimation Societies and had influential support, the most famous being Baron Von Muller the famous Victorian Botanist, who spread blackberry seeds far and wide during his collection trips for indigenous species.
I think most of the early white explorers planted things at various places along their route, I don’t think any of them survived.
The plants that is.
The blackberries did. And the hawthorn. I’m sure I could think of others.
Weeping willows.