Are you tired of one-sided environmental narratives? Simplified takes that ignore the nuance and complexity of matters? This show brings diverse perspectives on every environmental story and examines their ecological, social and political dimensions. Listen and become a well-rounded environmental voice with the power to influence change.
I'm Tommy Serafinski and this is the Conservation and Science, where we take a deep dive into topics of ecology, conservation and human-wildlife interactions (which, in most cases, means human-wildlife conflict). Here, I talk with world-class scientists, members of environmental organisations, practical conservationists, farmers, nature writers, and last but not least, hunters and anglers. We talk about biodiversity, conservation, hunting and fishing, rewilding and more.
Start with the fan-favourite episode 163, “The EU Review of Wolf Protection Status.” It’s the perfect introduction to what this podcast has to offer.
If after listening to this episode you want to help the environment and get into hunting, here you can access a detailed guide on how to get started in deer hunting in Ireland. ➡ deerhunting.ie/
Great discussion. A few comments on what one of your guests said: As another guest later said, Muntjac don’t have a breeding season, so there’s no way to have a closed season that respects their young during lactation… In my research 25 years ago in Wicklow, I found no reduction in harvest of stags after the rut that would indicate hunters are disinclined to shoot because the meat is lower quality. If it’s not feasible to eradicate sika due to terrain, then how are we so sure it’s possible to manage them well enough for good ecological outcomes? In the comparison of the management options give, I’m pretty sure the forest with deer managed have much, much lower densities than most places in Ireland, especially Wicklow and Kerry where regeneration is needed most. Might one propose that the lady who sees a difference between sika and red might well be influenced by the very fact that, as is the premise of the whole discussion. sika are invasive and red deer are native? If goats have no protection, how come they’ve not been eradicated yet from Killarney NP? That’s a question coming from complete ignorance of the current situation there. Finally, it´s true that the forest planning in Ireland is still terrible… despite the discussions with forest managers for decades. Keep up the good work, Tommy!
Hi David, thanks for your comment. It's as always both interesting and insightful. Many thanks for being a listener and viewer for all these years. Your support is greatly appreciated! 👍🏼
Social media is deliberately polarising. It increases engagement, which increases user presence, which increases shareholder profits. Users need to find a way of reminding themselves it's not real life. I deleted all social media profiles recently, and instantly felt free, as if I'd escaped the matrix or broken the loop or something.
That is true and I heard similar reports from people who decided to get rid of social media or at very least remove the apps from their phones and only use them through pc which in itself limits the use. Regarding it not being real life... It's a classic case of "yes and no". We talked about it briefly in episode 145, unfortunately our politicians and policymakers are on social media too and they're getting influenced and before you know it, the online sentiments turn into a real life.
Logging in for a Minute and scrolling through is cheating! 😂 Logging in alone and just seeing what's on your feed at that moment can already have a huge influence.
I see you're going through my back catalogue. 👍🏼 Enjoy the show, Paul. And any feedback or suggestions for future episodes are always welcome! Have a good one!
Hey everyone! Thanks for watching! If you want to support my work, please write a comment about this video. Ask a question or suggest future content. THANKS!
Hey everyone! Thanks for watching! If you want to support my work, please write a comment about this video. Ask a question or suggest future content. THANKS!
Hey everyone! Thanks for watching! If you want to support my work, please write a comment about this video. Ask a question or suggest future content. THANKS!
Hey everyone! Thanks for watching! If you want to support my work, please write a comment about this video. Ask a question or suggest future content. THANKS!
@TommysOutdoors Oh, I see. So just 1 aspect alone isn't enough to be conservation is what you mean? To use an analogy, you wouldn't call yourself a recycler if all you did was keep your recycling out of the trash, you also have to take it to a plant that you know will reuse the material, although, stopping throwing away recycling is an important part and start.
Yup. And that's not to dismiss the importance of such contributions. Nevertheless they are contributions to conservation that can be used by conservationists. Check the full video as I explain my point of view there in greater detail. And thanks for your comments! 😊
A peer-reviewed scientific analysis of Defra’s badger control policy in England has revealed a 56% fall in bovine TB rates. This report is not the first to debunk and cast serious doubt on the wild deer TB scare, much heralded by farming organisations in Ireland. In fact the IFA's own recently commissioned report largely does the same, but that was kept fairly quiet. So, it is no wonder the IFA and others were in a hurry to get the Deer Hunting seasons extended, that is, before these reports and those of the record numbers of deer already culled this season, becoming more generally know. There were more than 60,000 deer culled last season and I'd guess over 80k this year so far. The ill advised season extension follows a three year vilification of wild deer, where gross exaggeration of the damage they cause, the disease they spread, and their distribution and numbers, was spewed out to an eager media and subsequently to a gullible public. Sure, there are excessive populations and associated problems in some areas, but there are also areas in most counties with little or no deer. (Remember, there has never been a proper national census of deer or their distribution) This extension, in effect, is more than a doubling of the male season and will only serve to further reduce only male deer. Stags/Bucks are in at least an 8:1 negative ratio compared to female deer. The hunting of stags after December is patently inhumane, they are still recovering in the difficult winter/spring months from the rigors of the rut. The obvious mechanism to reduce numbers is to cull breeding females and a one month extension alone will not do that. What it will do, is reduce the quality, genetic diversity and general health of all deer, not to mention scattering existing population further afield. This result is already witnessed in England and other countries. Take islands near Vancouver for example, where there is no closed season at all, and the Fallow Deer population continues to grow. Most importantly and very concerning is the formation of 'deer contractor teams' and their coordinators. From where will these hunters be drawn ? What qualifications, experience and expertise is required ? Are there any safety courses and risk assesment measures underway? Certainly none that I heard off. The extended season also means winter housed domestic stock will be out on the land, children will be off school and many more people enjoying the countryside. Better not mention the insurance cover required, that is, if any can be obtained particurally in light of the aforementioned concerns. So, with risk factors obviously being much more acute, will the IFA and the Dept of Agriculture cover all this responsibility ? I doubt it. There has been, what I call, other lies of omission in this agenda to include disregarding the value of deer to the economy, its sustainability or it's future development, be it by way of exported venison, or the consumption of it in the domestic market, including homes, hotels and restaurants. In fact the whole idea lacks any modicum of common sense or realistic planning. No mention either of the trade value in hunting clothing, firearms, ammo, optics, quad bikes, jeeps and a myriad of other commercial spinoffs to local businesses. Or, for that matter the tax free monies many farmers enjoy, particurally those in the east of Ireland, who actually charge hunters for the service of culling deer on their lands. The public were subjected to a constant mantra of negative misinformation, eminating not least from the IFA. A prime example being their so called 'consultation survey' A survey saturated with questions and narratives designed to allow only a negative response and outcome for deer. One's only choice was to compose a 'comment' in the survey to mention any positive impact deer might be worth. The silence and inactivity of our largest hunter association has been ominous if not startling, while certain bespoke deer hunting organisations, gave weak and paltry offerings of objection. Why ? it seems they observed the tsunami of orchestrated vitriol against wild deer and foresaw it's enevitable outcome. They also saw a need to be on a winning side, to safeguard their positions in their little ponds and hope to continue safely swimming with the sharks. It was particurally sinister to note that other organisations, such as the normally vociferous anti-hunting brigade and kindred organisations, including the greens and vegans of this world were uncharacteristically silent. Is it possible the Green Party leadership, together with our minister for Agriculture and other politicians, silenced them all by coming out publicly in support of this madcap cull plan ? I doubt it. Obviously, it had some effect ! However, it was more likely a silencing of dissenting voices by way of careful media management. Silenced by powerful farming, forestry and other agri interests and, aided of course, by those vote catching politicians, most of whom hold some sway with the various opinion forming appendages of the media. Lastly, and certainly not least, to say I am disappointed with the total and complete abdicated by NPWS of it's stewardship, in particurally its responsibility for the protection of a wild mammal, is the understatement of the decade. They are the very department that can open, close, lengthen or shorten the open seasons order on huntable species.They are tasked with this function by our goverment and by way of E.U. law orders. Maybe a reported breach of E.U. law is the place to find relief because, in the opinion of many, the NPWS has been absolutely negligent in the discharge of it's duties. In effect, all the evidence points primiraly to a farming lobby dictating the future of a wild mammal, not any mammal but the largest and most beautiful of our wild animals on this island of ours.
It is in our opinion very lazy politics. We have gone through a process and delivered meaningful solutions which were accepted by all. One of those solutions was to create DMU's (Deer Management Units) in problematic areas as a first response. Those DMU's were to be created with the cooperation and involvement of local hunters. What happened to that. What we have now instead is a completely inadequate system that may or may not resolve the issue. We also wonder what stage is the other points at. Such as the promotion of vension as a highly nutritious and organic food source. Increasing the demand for vension decreases the over population problems. And so much more could have been announced.
Thanks for your comment, John. Totally! Seems like the whole process with Deer Management Strategy and consultations and all that was just a tick-box exercise and the simple (yet wrong) decision was made anyway and regardless of the consultations and proposals. As you said, it's a lazy decision and quite frankly, dissapointing.
It really doesn't make sense. It's true that trophy hunting is probably the most common hunting, but this change in male hunting from 4 months to 9 makes no sense. In other EU countries male hunting goes from August/September to end of February. Regarding does and hinds, it's a difficult task to say if they should be culled during a longer period of time due to pregnancy. On the other hand, giving options to hunters to sell that meat would help in female hunting. Great video, I'm a Spanish hunter living in Ireland!
Who in their right minds would ever hunt a wolf and for what reason? I can understand it when it comes to animals that you eat but you would never eat a wolf why hunt it? Their status shouldn't change there are always solutions to deter wild animals and the 1st of course is to stop intruding their habitat. Here where I live we gave small villages just next to forests! Why build your house in that place and make the demand for wolves to be killed?
I'm not sure if IDS is still functioning. I know some top blokes from WDAI but as an organisation they never bothered to even send me an email to renew the membership. Which says a lot. It feels like they're fairly local and more like a Facebook group. IDC is definitely the one that is making some waves for deer hunters and keeping their members well informed about current affairs. I'm still getting useful communication from them even though my membership expired a few years ago.
Helen if you are reading this comment, this is Matt who was at the CIC conference in Tallinn. I went back to Soomaa with my daughter and we saw a wolf!
hey tommy,I've noticed that your RU-vid channel isn't quite as visible as it could be, and I think it's because of SEO. With a few small tweaks to your titles, descriptions, and tags, you could see a significant boost in traffic and views. I'd be happy to offer some specific suggestions if you're interested."
This. I understand why people are vegan but then as soon as you approach them with this argument, suddenly animal death and ecological consequences don't matter, anymore.
I have NO complaints about this awesome camera! And people who have dslrs ALSO use photoshop. Post processing. Its what most serious photographers do. This sx70 is a gem. 💎
