As the field and garden songbirds get underway with breeding, Charlie is defending his bird table from one of their major predators: the grey squirrel. He deals with the problem of hold-under while using an air pistol with a laser sight. For more about Crackshot, go to https://Crackshot.uk For info about Sportsmatch mounts, visit https://Sportsmatch-UK.com ▶ For the kit showcased in this film, visit https://kitfinder.co.uk ▶ Sign up for our weekly email newsletter https://FieldsportsChannel.tv/register ▶ To watch all of #FieldsportsBritain, episode 698, visit https://FieldsportsChannel.tv/fieldsportsbritain698 ▶ Fieldsports Shop http://fieldsports.shop ▶ Take part in nature. Join the Fieldsports Nation https://FieldsportsChannel.tv/membership Why shoot grey squirrels? Grey squirrels are invasive pests, not native to the UK. They impact on our native wildlife, raiding nests to prey on eggs and fledglings, and they are responsible for the decline in native red squirrel numbers, likely because they carry but are immune to the parapox virus, which is fatal to red squirrels . The Wildlife Trusts estimate there are only around 140,000 native red squirrels left in the UK, compared to 2.5 million grey squirrels. Grey squirrels cause damage to trees such as beech, oak, sycamore and chestnut. They strip bark at the base of trees which causes them to weaken and eventually to die. The UK Forestry Commission estimates grey squirrels cause £6-10 million damage to British forestry per year. Grey squirrels have been known to damage houses and buildings by chewing on woodwork, insulation and electrical wires. They can also contaminate cold water tanks with urine and droppings. It has been illegal to keep grey squirrels (without a licence) since 1937, and it is illegal to release them into the wild. Grey squirrels’ predators include stoats, goshawks and foxes, leaving gamekeepers, foresters and airgunners to do the main job of eradicating them. A coalition of airgunners across Anglesey successfully removed grey squirrels from the island. Other groups in Cumbria and Cornwall aim to do the same, with support from the government and private enterprise. Why shoot rats? There are thought to be more than 10 million rats in the UK (…yuk). Rats carry many diseases which can spread to humans, normally through their urine, including: leptospirosis or Weil's disease, salmonella, listeria, toxoplasma gondii and hantavirus. Rodent contamination also presents a significant risk to livestock health. Both cattle and sheep will ingest a large proportion of faecal contamination (Daniels & Hutchings 2001). Rats can also inflict structural damage. They can cause fires by gnawing away the insulation around electrical cables, floods by puncturing pipes and they chew through gas pipes. The insurance sector has estimated that rodent damage to wiring is responsible for 25% of all electrical fires in buildings. Finally, rats can ruin an organisation's reputation. If clients and customers spot evidence of rodent infestation in the premises you manage, they are unlikely to want to do business with you. We’re proud to promote enjoyment of fieldsports and the countryside. There are three guiding principles to everything we do on Fieldsports Channel: ▶ Shoot responsibly ▶ Respect the quarry ▶ Ensure a humane, clean and quick kill
