New research counters claims of pheasants fuelling fox numbers

The study shoed no increase in fox activity on farms where gamebirds were released. Pic credit Peter Thompson

A peer reviewed paper based on an extensive study by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) has found no increase in fox activity on pheasant release sites compared to non-release sites.

Critics of pheasant releasing often blame the abundance of gamebirds for boosting the fox population and so increasing predation pressure on threatened ground-nesting birds. However, the study suggests legal predator control is likely to be reducing fox numbers on release sites to the same or lower levels than on surrounding farmland.

The study compared 10 non-release sites with 8 release sites over 5km2 area of farmland in central southern England. Over a period of 19 months, 1,600 fox scats were collected with scientists walking a 3km survey rout every three weeks. There was no obvious increase in the number of scats found when gamebirds were released in the late summer and in the first year more were found on non-release sites.

Author of the report head of lowland research at the GWCT Dr Rufus Sage said: “Our study shows similar or sometimes more fox activity on sites that do not release game, compared to otherwise similar releasing estates. Fox control carried out on estates that release game probably plays a significant role in suppressing fox numbers, although we could not look at that directly in this study.

“It is also possible that gamebird releasing does not necessarily attract foxes in the way that is sometimes assumed. This relationship between gamebird releasing and fox activity in the landscape is clearly more complex and variable than is reflected in the current debate.”

The publication of this new scientific paper comes at a time when Government is gathering evidence in response to opponents of gamebird management who say it has a negative environmental impact. However, studies by the GWCT have shown that when best practice is followed gamebird releasing can in fact can deliver a significant biodiversity net gain.

GWCT CEO Nick von Westenholz said: “Like all human activity in the countryside, pheasant releasing can have a negative impact, but this tends to be localised at the level of the pen and can be mitigated by following best practice guidelines. On the other hand, the benefits to wildlife are on a landscape scale.

“For example, one study of game crops in winter recorded up to 100 times as many songbirds per hectare than in the surrounding farmland. Research found there is up to 65% more hedgerow per square kilometre on estates with released-gamebird management and surveys show woodlands managed for pheasants have 32% more wild birds.

“Best practice gamebird management is helping boost biodiversity alongside productive farming on a national scale. It represents a huge private investment in public goods which is critical to the Government’s efforts to reach its legally binding biodiversity recovery targets by 2030.”

For the full paper visit this link.

For the GWCT’s new scientific report on the environmental impacts of gamebird management, visit Game for Nature – Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust