Wildlife Numbers

HC Deb 19 January 1994 vol 235 cc683-4W

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary for Northern Ireland what recent studies he has made into the number of(a) badgers, (b) foxes, (c) hares, (d) rabbits, (e) grey crows, (f) magpies, (g) otters and (h) feral mink in Northern Ireland; what information he has as to whether each species is increasing, diminishing or stable in population; and what is the impact of each species on farm animals and fish stocks in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Tim Smith

The information is as follows:

1. (a) Badgers—The Department of Agriculture(NI) is currently funding a study, by Queen's university Belfast, of the distribution and abundance of the badger in Northern Ireland. The results of the investigation are not expected to produce any conclusive evidence about the impact of badgers on farm animals but should provide useful information on badger numbers and habitat.
2. (b) Foxes—I am not aware of any recent studies into the number of foxes in Northern Ireland.
3. (c) Hares—I am not aware of any recent studies into the number of hares in Northern Ireland. However, the Department of the Environment(NI) is part-funding a postgraduate student at Queen's university Belfast to undertake a three-year study into the distribution of hares, commencing January 1994.
4. (d) Rabbits—I have no information on any recent studies into the number of rabbits in Northern Ireland.
5. (e) and (f) Grey Crows and magpies—The only information the Department of the Environment(NI) has on the numbers of these birds is from the British Trust for Ornithology's common bird census. In the UK as a whole these species increased in numbers by 168 per cent.—magpies—and 164 per cent.—grey crows—during the period 1968–91. The only data for Northern Ireland specifically relate to magpies during the period 1983–92. This revealed an increase in numbers of 27 per cent.
6. I am not aware of any studies on the impact of each species on farm animals and fish stocks in Northern Ireland.
7. (g) Otters—Studies completed on an all-Ireland basis in 1981 and 1991 showed that this species is widespread in Northern Ireland, but recorded the presence of otters and made no attempt to assess their abundance.
8. I am not aware of any studies into the impact of otters on farm animals and fish stocks.
9. (h) Feral Mink—I am not aware of any recent studies into the number of feral mink in Northern Ireland or the impact of 684 feral mink in Northern Ireland or the impact of feral mink on farm animals and fish stocks. It is, however, generally believed that mink are now present throughout Northern Ireland wherever there is suitable habitat.