Licence to kill loose poultry

A warning to the feral chickens of the island: Terry Lister is coming for you.

The independent MP is pushing recommendations that would increase the number of people licensed to shoot or trap chickens on the island from six to ten.

Mr Lister says the additional four permits could mean as many as 2,000 more feral chickens are eliminated. Estimates differ, but some say there are as many as 30,000 of the creatures currently roaming the island. 

Feral chickens, said Mr Lister, are problematic because they destroy crops, make noise and increase the potential for disease.

Harvesting the chickens, according to Lister, is not desirable since they’re often too small and tough to eat.

Capturing them and eating their eggs, he said, could also help curb the local population.

Mr Lister says he commissioned volunteers to study the issue and produce recommendations. He says he’s now passing on those recommendations to Trevor Moniz’s Ministry of Health & the Environment for consideration.

Air rifles

Mr Moniz’s office did not comment for this story before deadline. The Bermuda Police Service declined to comment through a spokesman, saying at this point the recommendations were nothing more than suggestions.

The Department of Conservation Services would welcome the chance to meet with the group to discuss their findings.

 According to government, in January DCF removed 1209 chickens, 571 in February, 964 in March and 983 in April.

Director of Conservation Services Drew Pettit said: “Trapping, regardless of type, has consistently proven to be the least effective and most costly method. Where deemed safe shooting is useful for controlling small numbers at a time, however chickens quickly scatter, requiring many visits. Chemical control has proven to be the only method for removing large numbers of chickens in certain situations but its use is strictly controlled. In order to be effective it has been found that the combined use of traps, nets, bait and/or shooting is required.”

Late last year, the House passed a proposal that allowed residents to apply for air rifle permits to kill feral chickens for an entire year. Previously residents had to apply for three months permits. The air rifles are retained by police, meaning that permit holders are supposed to return them to police at night.

Politicians have been wrangling with how best to reduce the abundance of feral chickens on the islands for years. Since August 2011, more than 17,100 chickens have been killed.

Animal rights activists criticized the government for using a pest control poison that they say indiscriminately kills other animals. Government officials have dismissed such concerns, saying the substance — alpha-chloralose — is a sedative.