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Bill's Blog - June 16th
NEWS OF THE WILD |
An historic moment for me
At last I have managed to embrace modern
technology, or at least enough of it to blog. Or am I casting a
pod? Whatever it's called, I promise you that the thoughts and
opinions are genuinely and unequivocally mine, and not those of one
of the several Bill Oddie impostors who are lurking out there in
cyberspace.I have been told that I have half a dozen websites. I
don't. All written by me. They are not. I can't even face Googling
myself 'cos I find it all too weird. But I assure you - as Mike
Yarwood used to say - this is me.
Firstly, big thanks to all of you who sent me cards,
letters and messages during 2009, and so far in 2010. Last year was
simply a nightmare, best forgotten, if only that were possible. This
year I am feeling much more in touch with the brighter side of life,
which of course includes wild life. What's more, my emotional
faculties are reviving. I am getting cross more often which, as long
as it is justifiable - must be a good sign! In recent weeks, it has
definitely been justifiable.
I am sure you are all aware of the rogue fox of Hackney
that molested scratched ? bit? - two babies. The twins are hopefully
now well on the way to full recovery. But will the urban fox recover
its reputation? Well, that particular one won't, because it was
presumably one of the four local foxes that have already been trapped
and "disposed of" (killed). However, that means three innocent foxes
have been killed, and by now there will probably have been more. It
is unarguable that fox attacks on humans - of any age - are incredibly
rare. Almost unknown. Neither is there a recent growing epidemic of
dangerous foxes. And yet, the totally untypical delinquency of a
single animal is being cited as justification for increased pest
"control" (killing) in Hackney, and proposals for an urban fox cull
right across Britain. Talk about the "one bad apple" syndrome!
In my experience, most people do not have this wholly hostile
attitude to urban foxes. Generally, they are pleased or even excited
and delighted to see them. Yes, some foxes are getting bolder and
tamer, mainly because they are being fed, either intentionally or
unwittingly. However, I have yet to hear of a fox that - on realizing
that a householder had forgotten to put out the Sunday lunch
leftovers, or had remembered to dispose of foodstuffs in a bin with a
secure lid - was so incensed that he took a vow of violent revenge on
humans.
If a fox walks towards you, it is hoping to eat, not attack!
I believe most people know this, so why the continuing outrage and
dispute? Because it is "a good story", that's why. The newspapers
love it. And the radio and telly, and I dare say it's been mentioned
occasionally on the web. So many ingredients:
crime, mystery, blood, babies, beasts, mum and dad, neighbours, fuzzy
photos of fierce or furtive foxes, alongside crisp digital portraits
of cute and cuddly cubs. The two faces of foxes. And which side is
the media on? Neither surely. The press is impartial, isn't it?
Or is it? It's the same with stories as with jokes: it's the way you
tell 'em. The words. The adjectives and adverbs.
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