Rare Birds Support now at 960!

Having placed the following petition on the Prime Ministers Number 10 Web Site;http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Territories/

I have been stunned by the high level support it has been pulling in. More than 900 individuals have now signed the petition. Amongst the names that have done so are academics and leading conservationist's. Including the former Governor of the Cayman Islands and well known Wild life photographer Michael Gore. If you haven't signed the petition yet please do so. The publicity is required if we are to ensure the right levels of resourcing are carried out.

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Make the appropriate arrangements to ensure that rare birds and animals in British Overseas Territories and British Protectorates receive enough financial resources to protect and enhance their survival. More details

Submitted by Mr Phil Bateman MBE – Deadline to sign up by: 05 December 2009 –


In the South Atlantic, on a remote British island that is one of the world's most important seabird breeding colonies.

More than a million albatross, shearwater and petrel chicks, some goose-sized and weighing more than 20lbs, are being eaten alive every year - by mice.

The mice are descendants of the British House Mouse.

The mice attack at night, singly or in groups, gnawing into the chicks' bodies when they sit on the nest, and eventually kill them through blood loss or destruction of vital organs.

It is thought it might eventually drive some of the 22 species of birds that breed on Gough to extinction.

There are fears that the UK Government is not placing enough of its financial resources into all its Overseas Territory to save and enhance wildlife for which we have a clear responsibility. This petition draws attention to a British problem that can and should be solved by the British Government.