UK Overseas Territories “fifth in world league table of bird extinctions”

Thursday, July 29th 2010 - 05:36 UTC

Full article 34 comments

Put together the UK’s 16 Overseas Territories (including Falklands and South Georgia) are fifth in the world league table of bird extinctions, with at least ten species from the territories going to oblivion since 1500AD, partially or wholly because of the impact of non-native mammals, such as rats, feral cats, mice and pigs, according to BirdLife International site. Read full article

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Hoytred
“The report, published in the journal Ibis, shows that one third of the species facing extinction could be helped by the removal of non-native mammals ...”

Does that include 'people' ?
Jul 29th, 2010 - 06:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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harrier61
How unfortunate that the UK can do nothing. Doctors Cuthbert and Hilton should have consulted some lawyers. Britain's Overseas Territories are self-governing. The preservation of wildlife is an internal domestic matter for each Territory.
Jul 29th, 2010 - 10:29 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Hoytred
Adds up to a lot of guano !
Jul 29th, 2010 - 12:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
In short:
British rats ruining the world for the rest of us..........
Jul 29th, 2010 - 01:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Hoytred
Think, that's just more guano. I quote - “ ... non-native Pacific rats ....”

Now be fair, there are a lot of non-natives around the world :-)
Jul 29th, 2010 - 01:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
Young one....

I quote from the above article :
In particular Gough Island AND SOUTH GEORGIA contain tens of millions of seabirds, but both of these islands are threatened by non-native mammals.”

More Info:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article7052509.ece

As I said: British Rats...........
Jul 29th, 2010 - 01:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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harrier61
Probably left by Constantine Davidoff and his military “scrap metal dealers”.
British Antarctic Survey personnel take care not to disturb the environment whilst Davidoff had military personnel from a naval supply ship Bahia Buen Suceso.
Considering the standard of hygiene practiced by Argentine occupation troops on the Islands, filling Islanders' bathtubs, beds and furniture with human excrement, there should be no difficulty in figuring where any rats came from.
Jul 29th, 2010 - 04:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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briton
this is all rubish, the british have been trying to intoduce wild animals for these birds to eat, but the argentinians keep running away, and its getting harder to catch them,
Jul 29th, 2010 - 08:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Hoytred
Well, if they're British rats then the birds are in trouble ..... nothing will move 'em :-)
Jul 30th, 2010 - 08:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
Correct but.................... Her Majesty’s government has declared them to be “DBRATS” (dispensable British Rats)

And there is a cunning plan against them:
Two helicopters will sprinkle millions of pellets containing brodifacoum, a poison that kills by causing internal bleeding, excruciating pain and long agony.

That’s the way things go if you disturb the balance...........
Jul 30th, 2010 - 11:14 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Hoytred
I always found that bromide was the best way of disturbing the balance ...
Jul 30th, 2010 - 01:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
You surely know better than me about that.... ........
The great Wiki mentions this urban legend:
It was often said the British Army laced the soldiers' tea with bromide to quell sexual arousal.
Jul 30th, 2010 - 01:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Hoytred
Then we tell 'em that the enemy did it :-)
Jul 30th, 2010 - 01:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
It can only have been the enemy..........
I could perfectly understand if the British Officers mixed it into the food or even better, inserted it rectally through huge suppositories into the soldiers but.....
Ruining a perfect cup of tea !!!
C’mon....That’s Un-British...That’s unthinkable!
Jul 30th, 2010 - 02:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Hoytred
Agreed :-)
Jul 30th, 2010 - 03:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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briton
go get the Falklands back now, you will never gat another or better chance, our defence minister my foxy, stated today, we can no longer defend ourselves, the royal navy will be no more, troops reduced by 30,000, 150 planes being scrapped, take the Falklands now, while you have the chance,, the YANKS are smelling victory, if you are to scared or cowardly to take them, the yanks will have them. go argies go go go
think you tell them think, go get them, before the yanks get them, they have already stabbed us in the back over them. now the conservatives have sold our sole to the devil, the Americans want compensation, over [BP] the conservatives will offer up the Falklands, [as this would kill two birds with one stone, it protects the Falklands forever, and shuts up the Argentineans, ,,so go get them boys before the yank do.
Jul 30th, 2010 - 09:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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harrier61
@16 Are you drunk, briton? The SDSR is nowhere near completion. Have you some agenda for encouraging the argies to start another war?
For Britain, finishing the argies is still too easy. All we have to do is squat.
Jul 31st, 2010 - 02:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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briton
Yes ok guys , i was exagerating a bit, we are all aware ]
the the UK is ,even with its problems, still the 2nd most powerfull navy in the world, so im sorry if i frightend enyone, we are ok. a peacefull nation, always looking for peace, but ready to strike if required, so back to the blog, [sorry guys] all back to normal
Jul 31st, 2010 - 11:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Marco
“The paper’s authors have identified 11 islands or territories where urgent action to remove non-native mammals could make a difference to the conservation of birds facing extinction”

I agree, remove the british from Malvinas and problem solved!
Aug 02nd, 2010 - 02:12 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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harrier61
Argentines kill PEOPLE. Indigenous and imported. Dispose of this last bastard remnant of the Spanish Empire!!
Aug 02nd, 2010 - 09:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Marco
Who cares about the spanish empire, they were defeated and sent back to Europe 200 years ago, the same way British empire when they tried to invade Buenos Aires in 1806 and 1807 by local militia.
Aug 02nd, 2010 - 02:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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harrier61
Quite right, who cares about the Spanish Empire? Except you base your territorial claims on its territory.
Actually, who defeated the Spanish Empire? It certainly wasn't you lot.

The British raids on Buenos Aires were raids on the territory of the Spanish Empire. Nothing to do with you colonial rebels.
Aug 02nd, 2010 - 04:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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yaghan
Hi everyone!. Came straight from a facebook group dealing with the Malvinas issue. Greetings to all contributors here!
Aug 02nd, 2010 - 09:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
Welcome Mr Yaghan... Special name... Very Patagonian :-)
Aug 02nd, 2010 - 09:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Marco
Harrier “The British raids”, That's it? Read this interesting article from BBC called “Britain's 'forgotten' invasion of Argentina”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4779479.stm
Quote from that article: “After a couple of days of intense street fighting, the British surrendered to an army it had considered no more than a rabble.

After losing more than half his force, the British signed a ceasefire on 7 July and left for home, where Whitelock was court-martialled and discharged”
Aug 02nd, 2010 - 11:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
THIMC

Maybe Britain should establish a new Cruise Company designed to visit the South Atlantic Islands.
They could name it: Desolate Cold and Solitary Windjammer Cruises Ltd.
Main attractions could include:
See the Malvinas wildlife: Penguins, Sea Lions and Elephant Seals starving to death in front of your eyes because of over fishing.
Or:
Rent an authentic pair of blood stained Night Vision Googles from the Malvinas War and watch South Georgia's millions of fat greedy British Rats devouring critically endangered day-old Petrel and Albatross chicks. Alive!

That would surely appeal to most of the folks in here ;-)
Aug 03rd, 2010 - 07:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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harrier61
Marco. Do try to get your confused idea of history right. Argentina DID NOT EXIST until 1853.

The article you quote, undoubtedly after many hours of searching, is FOUR YEARS OLD. And the guy who wrote it is a military historian. Not concerned or knowledgeable about anything outside battles. And he's not even an important one. Just a lecturer. Note that Whitelock was discharged for losing. You don't get discharged for losing an unwinnable battle, you get discharged for making tactical and strategic errors. Wonder if Captain Bonzo or Rear Admiral Allara know about that?
Aug 03rd, 2010 - 11:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
(25) Marco
Good article you posted. Usual good BBC quality.
Came to “Think” about something funny.....
Britain mainly wins Wars thanks their Allies!
The Germans defeated Napoleon.
The Americans and the French won WWI.
The Russian defeated Germany in WWII.
Smart!
Aug 03rd, 2010 - 01:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Marco
28 Thanks.

27 Harrier, True the article is four years old, Argentina is 200 and you missed the big fiesta!

http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/view/pressrelease/coxandkings-co-uk-argentina-turns-200-enjoy-the-fiesta-with-cox-kings-travel-412927
Aug 03rd, 2010 - 05:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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harrier61
No Argentina until 1853. Argentina only 147. Bicentenary another lie.

Self-determination is ruled to be primary consideration. Argentina's stupid claims, including territorial integrity, overtaken by 21st century ruling.

Falkland Islands for ever!!

Rule Britannia!!
Aug 03rd, 2010 - 09:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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briton
Think (#)
Maybe Britain should establish a new Cruise Company designed to visit the South Atlantic Islands
think, how did you know the british was going to do that, you are a clever boy, keep it up ,[british, mole]
Aug 03rd, 2010 - 10:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
THIMC
Front page story, 04/08/10 on the Anti-Kirchner conservative Clarin newspaper!
http://www.clarin.com/politica/Lula-lidero-reclamo-derechos-Malvinas_0_310768935.html
A minimal translation of its “punchlines” for those of you that do not understand Spanish:
“New joint declaration about Malvinas and the protection of natural resources in the South Atlantic.....................”
“The signed declaration includes now not only Malvinas but also the sovereignty over the Georgias and Sandwich Islands as well as their seabed area.............................”
“The declaration, signed by the Presidents of the Six Participant States assumes the compromise NOT to facilitate any activity of vessels which can aid any hydrocarbon activities that affect the rights of the Argentine Republic in its seabed..............”

In short....
As I told you nearly two months ago: No access to our (Mercosur) infrastructure for any Malvinas hydrocarbon related business.

Not strange that MercoPress chose to miss this one :-)
Aug 04th, 2010 - 09:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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harrier61
Argentina has NO valid claim to the Falkland Islands.

Argentina DID NOT EXIST before 1853. There is no principle of valid law that underwrites the inheritance of territory. There is no treaty ceding the Islands from Spain to Argentina. The so-called “claim” in 1820 by David Jewett was made by a pirate.
Aug 04th, 2010 - 10:55 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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briton
well then KEEP your mercosur, the falklands can have the back up of tesco, its much cheaper than mercosur, and theres one on every corner ?
Aug 05th, 2010 - 09:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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