Control and culling of wildlife

Summary

The request sought details on wildlife control and culling by the Isle of Man government since 2011, excluding rats and mice. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed annual statistics for predator control on its upland estate from 2011 to 2019, focusing on crows, magpies, gulls, rabbits, and ferrets to protect endangered ground-nesting birds.

Key Facts

• Control activities are limited to land owned by the Department or directly adjacent to it.
• Predator control targets endangered ground-nesting birds like curlews and priority conservation species.
• Corvid control is conducted using legal Larson type traps by trained officers.
• All birds and feral ferrets removed were adults; no eggs or nests were targeted.
• A feral goat was euthanised in June 2019 after being injured by a vehicle on Arrasey Plantation.

Data Disclosed

• 20,000-acre upland estate
• 2011-2019
• 163 crows (2011)
• 71 magpies (2011)
• 9 Greater Black Backed Gulls (2011)
• 86 rabbits (2011)
• 9 feral ferrets (2011)
• 24th June 2019
• Reference number 943178

Original Request

Please provide details of wildlife apart from rats and mice controlled or culled by or for the IOM government since 2011. For example, gulls nests and eggs being removed from government-controlled buildings during the breeding season, native or non-native (eg. wallabies, peafowl) animals or birds being trapped or killed on government land. Please provide numbers of all animals and birds controlled or culled, the species and the ages of the animal if applicable (eg. egg, nestling or adult bird), and the methods used eg. trapping, shooting, oiling of eggs.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator Corporate Services Directorate Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel no (01624) 685854 Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im www.gov.im

Our ref: 943178 20th September 2019

Dear ###, We write further to your request which was received on the 30th August 2019 and which states: "Please provide details of wildlife apart from rats and mice controlled or culled by or for the IOM government since 2011. For example, gulls nests and eggs being removed from government-controlled buildings during the breeding season, native or non-native (eg. wallabies, peafowl) animals or birds being trapped or killed on government land. Please provide numbers of all animals and birds controlled or culled, the species and the ages of the animal if applicable (eg. egg, nestling or adult bird), and the methods used eg. trapping, shooting, oiling of eggs." Please note this response relates only to information held by the Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture. We cannot answer, or provide information, on behalf of other public authorities. If you wish to know what information is held by other public authorities you should submit separate requests to them. Information The Department only controls wildlife (apart from rats, mice, wasps and bees (in the latter case we utilise a “swarm co-ordinator” to re-locate swarms where possible)) on land it owns or on land directly adjacent to land that it owns All predator control is targeted in order to protect the nests, eggs and young of endangered ground nesting birds such as curlew and priority species for conservation including species with restricted distribution within the Isle of Man. All corvid control is carried out using purpose made and legal Larson type traps by trained officers.

Forestry, Amenity & Lands Predator Control carried out on or directly adjacent to the 20,000-acre upland estate 2011 – 2019 Year Period Crow (Hooded, Carrion & hybrid) Magpie Greater Black Backed Gull Herring Gull Rabbit (shot) Feral Ferret 2011 April - June 163 71 9 7 86 9 2012 April - June 159 53 2 0 26 7 2013 April - June 182 53 5 0 0 3 2014 April - June 141 30 3 0 0 0 2015 April - June 127 26 0 0 0 2 2016 April - June 147 32 0 0 0 0 2017 April - June 107 21 0 0 0 0 2018 April - June 124 19 0 0 0 1 2019 April - June 130 24 0 0 0 3 Notes Gulls were shot only when actively harassing UPLAND incubating curlew. Feral Ferrets were trapped in an area of southern uplands where loss of incubating curlew and other upland birds to feral ferrets has historically occurred. Rabbit control was historically carried out to protect newly planted forestry. All birds and feral ferrets taken were adult and no eggs or nests were targeted. Additional information On the 24th June 2019 a feral goat was found alive, but badly injured (suspected broken back) after being hit by a vehicle that had gained illegal entry to Arrasey Planation. This goat was euthanised by a trained officer. Please quote the reference number 943178 in any future communications. Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely