Sir,

I must reply to the letter ‘Enough to turn your hair grey’ (July 15). This must be some ill-informed tame house pet; it is certainly not one of us who used to live and breed very successfully in many parts of the British Isles until we became classed as pests and our pelts became fashion accessories, until we nearly became extinct.

Then that other charming and cute, by human standards, the grey squirrel, not native, was unleashed on us, causing great damage, and is now classified as a pest and to insult us by likening us to hermits who choose that way of life.

As to volunteers feeding us in the summer, we do not hibernate completely. I would be the first to support this whim, but evidence suggests that we are being used. So I cannot give my support. We are not domestic animals. Our normal lifespan is five years, with many not surviving their first winter. It would be just like some of you being incarcerated on St. Margarets and putting some feeding stations up. What hoo-ha that would create.

Brownsea Island and Anglesey have much better and larger well scientifically researched habitats which suit our needs to survive. Our future, like lots of other flora and fauna, is uncertain. We each need one acre of mixed, mostly conifers, to survive. Sadly, Caldey falls well short, with only a very small wooded part. The island is managed to a high standard by caring people who mean well for us. Ten out of 10 for effort to save us, but zero for location.

As to the other three imprisoned non-native animals and their enclosures, they are all likely to turn on their guards. The primates are so frustrated that they have lost their fear of humans and destroy anything of man’s transport as they travel, gawping, through their enclosures. This is not normal animal behaviour.

Man is the greatest enemy of our natural world and himself.

Man has a lot to answer for, interfering with nature by unleashing untested flora and fauna into the British Isles. After the grey squirrel, Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam, to name a few. Now interfering in the genetic pesticide world killing bees worldwide, who help to provide food for us, as well as man. When will he learn to work with nature so that we can all enjoy life together, not disrupt it.

Yours Nutkin,

c/o Trevor Hallett.