A few months ago, I did a survey on whether the seagulls should be culled during the summer holidays, based on the law that was passed by the local government in Sonderburg, our Danish next-door neighbor. For more information on the story, click on the window below:
The results of my survey were unanimous: no one finds the idea of shooting them a good idea!
Even if the shooting law was meant for certain species, many people are of the opinion that seagulls should have a peaceful co-existence with the tourists on the beach. The reason for this is twofold:
- Because certain species of seagulls are under threat of extinction due to climate change, they are protected under blankets of laws that exists, on the state level, national level and the European level.
- They are also one of the cultural riches of the region, which you can find many souvenirs and books about them at book stores and souvenir shops in the towns along the Baltic and North Seas. There’s even a comic strip devoted to seagulls that is made in the Far North. This one is created by Stefan Höstermann.
While tourists have complained about them being attacked and having their food robbed out of their hands or making loud noises, several stories have pointed to human behavior as being the main cause of the plague. Since seagulls can eat virtually everything, they can also feed off garbage left behind by us- be it purging into the trash cans or picking up the litter. Therefore it is important that what is left over from the food is thrown into the trash can and that garbage is picked up on a regular basis- preferrably 1-2 times a day. This will help reduce the population. On top of that, one should refrain from feeding them anything for doing so could lead to something similar to what I witnessed in Michigan a few years ago:
Therefore many agencies, including the one for protecting flora and fauna NABU, have recommended changes to the behaviors of the tourists to ensure that peaceful coexistence prevails when it comes to seagulls. A guide can be found here.
For the record, Schleswig-Holstein does have a law allowing for culling of seagulls, yet with a pair of exceptions:
- The culling applies only for species that are feared to be overpopulating the region, such as the herring gulls and
- This is done during the offseason mainly. Between October 1 and the 10th February one is allowed to cull them if certified as a licensed hunter. This is accoding to article 2, section 13 of the hunting law passed in 1977. This was generally done to protect the species and since there are much fewer tourists during the offseason.
Whether Sonderburg’s new laws are a knee-jerk reaction or if it has something to do with its overpopulation remains uclear, just as unclear as the effects on the population once the law is enforced. We do know that actionism just to have a great time at the expense of these colorful species will have detrimental effects on the region for the birds have done a great deal to keep a delicate balance in the North and Baltic Seas. What will help though is changing our ways and setting examples for others. Only then will this solve many problems that are facing us at the present.
*******
REMINDER:
Check out the two other surveys that are ongoing. One looks at hate in social media; the other looks at the importance of English in the future. Both results will be presented in June. If you haven’t voted yet, do so today and make sure others take part. The questionnaires are below:
THE FLENSBURG FILES 