Farmer fears polecats will hunt poultry
UK - Farmers are angry over a pioneering scheme to reintroduce a rare wild animal to South Cheshire. Six polecats, which are a protected species, were freed two months ago by the RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Hospital, Nantwich, after tracking collars were put on them.But farmers and poultry keepers say they are worried their birds are in danger of being attacked. David Cragg, of Creagmhor Pure Breed Poultry in Mill Lane, at Blakenhall, Nantwich said: 'Polecats are genetically identical to ferrets and they are a predator.
'They are a highly skilled carnivore whose primary diet in the wild is small mammals. 'If they were allowed to get through to my birds and they were hungry then there could lots of trouble. 'We do all we can to protect our birds but it is hard to protect against something like a polecat when we keep our birds free range.
Source: icCheshire
30 November 2005
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