Dormice

[Taffycat]

I think dormice have to be one of the prettiest, sweetest little critters and I would normally be "for" anything which can protect them from harm. However, several miles from where we live, a council has spent £190,000 on constructing dormice-bridges over a busy road.

Questions come to mind: how, for example, are the dormice going to know that the bridges are meant for them..? Tiny signposts maybe..? Also, the "bridges" would appear to have large gaps in their mesh construction, so assuming the wee fellow has read the sign, climbed the first part of the bridge and reaches the really dangerous bit... woops! Splat!

Surely, it would have made marginally more sense to have a few little pipes forming tunnels beneath the road, at mouse-level - although even then, there is no guarantee that the said rodent wouldn't simply make a bolt for it, straight across the asphalt
Linky to BBC video

 

[TriplexDread]

I saw that picture in the paper yesterday. What an absolute disgrace spending all the money on that contraption.

Badgers are protected are council going to build bridges for them aswell?

 

[nivrip]

Total madness. Dormice have survived without bridges before and, I'm sure, will do so in future.

 

[muckshifter]

for once, regulations I agree with

Dormice are protected under EU habitat regulations, and therefore you have to help the little critters live. Such measures are now commonplace across the country and adhere to the current legislation in protecting species of this nature”.

All that was actually needed was a rope strung from one tree to the other ... the alternative would have be much much more cost effective, don't build the bloody road in the first place, the "council" were legally required to outline wildlife protection plans before the bypass was approved.

TC, no, they won't use the "road" as they live, eat, sleep & breed in the hi-rise of the woodlands.

Its disappointing to see this reported negatively by some media.

"The environmental mitigation cost needs to be taken in the context of the overall cost of the scheme."

"To not provide adequate mitigation for dormice would have risked possible infraction proceedings and fines from the European Union."

I'm on the side of the doormeeses.

 

[Taffycat]

All that was actually needed was a rope strung from one tree to the other ...

TC, no, they won't use the "road" as they live, eat, sleep & breed in the hi-rise of the woodlands.

I'm on the side of the doormeeses.

Oh I'm also on their side, in fact, I would love to actually see a dormouse - I've only ever seen "ordinary" mice.

My real beef is with whoever came up with that expensive "bridge" design, when, as you say, a bit of rope would have achieved the same ends. But of course, it wouldn't be so high-profile for the council, or made quite such a "good" News story.

 

[floppybootstomp]

The media. Don't you just love 'em?

Every single fleet street journalist seems to think it's their given aim in life to wind up Mr & Mrs easily influenced middle suburbia easily outraged clone. And they do, unfortunately.
Lemme see:

'Reports suggested'

'One member who did not wish to be named'

'It was rumoured'

And so on.

Fact is, most people will just believe the headline, even if it is just as a quote, as in many court cases.

I know I've said it before but I've been there, worked for a local paper, had stories (and pix) published in nationals, I know what a crap game it is.

Now, we'll never ever stop that bias but some folk should clearly have more responsibility to their readers.

There again, sometimes I take the view that if people are so stupid as to believe what they read in the Daily Mail et al, then they deserve their daily annoyance and high blood pressure. Fools.

I think it was Bruce Forsyth who once said 'The only thing you can believe in a newspaper in the UK is the date'

Right on, Bruce.

Mice? Endangered? Yes, spend money to look after them, the local council's heart is in the right place, even if their pricing isn't. As mucks said, a few ropes strung across would have sufficed, not a luxury tunnel, I'm surprised they didn't install showers for them as well

Why do people (well, scumbag reporters) always want to knock something that's done with the best intentions?

Council spending? You won't have to look far to see worse cases of 'wasting' cash.