20th May 2008, 02:24 PM
Kevin wrote 'Having recently worked on a pipeline scheme where non disturbance of a Great Crested Newt breeding habitat was placed high on the list of site objectives, I wonder how Mr Jones gets away with his frequent burning of snakes and snake habitats.'
I don't believe that snakes outside of the EU are protected by EU directives due to the decline of habitats in all places barr those where pipelines are constructed. Good point though.
I have come across snakes twice on pipelines; once, after a heavy night out, I spotted what I initially thought was a toy snake amongst fly-tipped material. It was real and it sure let me know about it. The other time, after another heavy night out (there's a pattern developing here), I was bothered by the sight of dark shapes in my peripheral vision. I look around to see a couple of dark slithery things disappearing underneath a tarpaulin which I was drying out on the bund. I pulled up a corner to witness a writhing mass of grass snakes snake-balling. Yikes!
I don't believe that snakes outside of the EU are protected by EU directives due to the decline of habitats in all places barr those where pipelines are constructed. Good point though.
I have come across snakes twice on pipelines; once, after a heavy night out, I spotted what I initially thought was a toy snake amongst fly-tipped material. It was real and it sure let me know about it. The other time, after another heavy night out (there's a pattern developing here), I was bothered by the sight of dark shapes in my peripheral vision. I look around to see a couple of dark slithery things disappearing underneath a tarpaulin which I was drying out on the bund. I pulled up a corner to witness a writhing mass of grass snakes snake-balling. Yikes!