Human desire to eredicate protected native gulls

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/408646/contentious-call-to-cull-native-gulls-from-former-oamaru-councillor
News article about a proponent of eradicating protected red billed gulls from an urban area, fewer than 100,000 of this species remain according to Department of Conservation (DOC)

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That sounds grim. Perhaps he needs to move to a concrete jungle.

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Well it seems red billed gulls are very tolerant of humans that moved into their area in the last 7 to 800 years. Why not return the favor?

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I don’t understand how any functional, adult human being can come to the conclusion that a mass killing of innocent animals is preferable to power washing things occasionally. Good grief. I hope people aren’t supporting this guy’s plan. :(

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Absolutely awful. And surely the gulls aren’t the only ones pooping everywhere? I mean, that’s what birds do. I can almost guarantee that he’s blaming the gulls because of their reputation as “dirty” birds. Frankly, as far as gulls go, I think these ones are quite pretty. People like this shouldn’t be in positions of power, honestly.

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so tired of peoples hatred of gulls, it makes me sad.

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Mind-boggling hubris.

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I think the word “former” is significant. He’s a sad old git (as we would say in the UK) who can’t bear to be out of the public eye after being a councillor for nine years and never quite getting to be mayor. He also got in a plug for his chiropractor practice.

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Wouldn’t more gulls just move in? Someone needs to explain that to him. Repellant methods are better.

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Gulls are the most misunderstood birds on earth it seems. I think they’re kinda cute.
There are plenty of cost effective methods to satisfy both the gulls and the citizens. Plus, there are plenty of places around the world heavily populated by gulls, and there doesn’t seem to be a problem. Galveston for instance. There are tens of thousands of Laughing Gulls on the island, and there are no issues with cleanliness, or any negative impact for that matter.
At least the guy isn’t giving his “movement” a stupid name like “Cull the Gulls”

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The problem would be serious if he would succed in gathering a certain amount of people who are in favour of his proposal. Otherwise he would remain one who have an idea that cannot be accepted and he would be forgotten rapidly.
Almost the same happens here with wolves. After a period of strong decimation, they are slowly regaining space in peninsular Italy and on the Alps but there is often someone who ask to control them with hunting because they can make troubles, especially with cattle.

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In this case, since they are a small remaining population, maybe not.

Even worse.

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