The Cam Conservators, who manage the river, moved swans’ nests to other locations this summer, but Natural England (NE) say this has “significant welfare implications”.
Now NE has advised ‘egg oiling’ or ‘pricking’ to kill off the swan embryos and cut numbers at busy times such as the annual Bumps races on the river.
NE experts say eggs may be coated with liquid paraffin, which is harmless to full-grown swans.
Its website says: “The oil blocks the pores in the eggshell and starves the embryo of oxygen.
“This technique is easy to carry out, 100 per cent effective in preventing hatching and does not adversely affect the sitting bird.”
Better to kill the birds than just move the damn nest? How in hell did our civilisation end up believing in this sort of fucking nonsense?
If the decision is to kill the eggs- how about cooking them? At least someone benefits.
How in hell did our civilisation end up believing in this sort of fucking nonsense?
Killing swan embryos? Let’s make sure it is safe, legal and rare.
Some politician in Mexico has said that since there is nothing we can do for the homeless, a painless death is the best option.
Once we disregard the wisdom of the ages, we end up pretty much where we started.
SMFS: “Some politician in Mexico has said that since there is nothing we can do for the homeless, a painless death is the best option.”
No.Just no.
Stupid feckless irresponsible people should suffer the consequences of their actions. As well as poverty those consequences may also include the wrath of settled, ordinary people who do work to make life better. As in communities pestered and harassed by scummy travellers. That is bad enough and disincentive enough without statist evil such as murder.
A percentage of the homeless are mentally ill and most have been offered homes many times but don’t want or can’t settle in them. At this time there is little to be done. Since the state (around the world) is spending many millions on brain research– for obvious mind control purposes– but next to nothing on effective therapies for troubled people I guess they don’t care either.
how about cooking them? At least someone benefits
Yep, but how many boiled / fried / poached / scrambled swan eggs can the Queen eat at a sitting?
Seems entirely coherent to me in an age where abortion is good but adoption is considered to be traumatic (for the child)
formertory – “Yep, but how many boiled / fried / poached / scrambled swan eggs can the Queen eat at a sitting?”
I thought you were referring to the homeless there for a second
formertory said:
I can see the Lottery board film pitch now, Helen Mirren as the Queen in… Cool Hand Liz.
Gareth wins the thread…
“We had to destroy the swans in order to save them”
O/T, but what happened to IanB? Any chance Tim could put up a post about dumbfuck feminists to coax him into telling us he’s still around?
Natural England – the British answer to Planned Parenthood.
Tim Newman: Yes IanB seems to have vanished. The last blogger who went suddenly silent was Neil Craig and someone on here knew that he had died suddenly.
This thread reminded me of Viz comic’s Queenmamagotchi, a Queen Mother tamagotchi download that you had to feed swans and gin to keep her alive. Endless fun.
This seems like American capital punishment. Just poke a hole through the egg, with a screwdriver. Or whack ’em with a hammer. Why the elaborate ritual of a paraffin bath?
“This technique is easy to carry out”
Except for the bit about getting near them with a couple of angry swans in the way. Also, since when was introducing liquid paraffin into the river a good idea?
Swans can count, and rats have been eating swan-eggs for quite a while.
If you poke a hole in the egg or hit it with a hammer, the swan will lay another fertile egg. If you cover it in paraffin, the swan will continue sitting on it waiting for it to not hatch. More useful if you want to end up without swans guarding their brood of cygnets.
If you move the swan, the swan will be unhappy and will move back.
So shoot the fucking swans!
Sorry to disappoint (some of) you, but I’m still alive, I’ve just been distracted somewhat by life offline. 😉
IanB
You’re undercover aren’t you – is she Corbyn’s PA?
Very best of luck, old chap.
Sorry to disappoint (some of) you, but I’m still alive,
Good!