YP Letters: Throwaway culture feeds the aggressive gulls

From: Roy Dresser, Chapel Lane, Rawcliffe, Goole.
Are the public to blame for the nuisance caused by gulls in resorts like Bridlington?Are the public to blame for the nuisance caused by gulls in resorts like Bridlington?
Are the public to blame for the nuisance caused by gulls in resorts like Bridlington?

I MUST take issue with Hilary Andrews (‘Time to chip away at gulls’, The Yorkshire Post, July 12). Hilary, these birds are gulls, not ‘rats’ or even seagulls, simply gulls.

While I sympathise with the attack on her grandson’s chips, it is better to keep some semblance of reality and not refer to gulls as ‘rats’.

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The behaviour of these gulls is clearly unacceptable and even dangerous but has Hilary ever thought just why the birds are carrying on as they are?

I believe that they have learned from the public that there is a ready source of food available and freely given by, for instance, people throwing fish and chips either up in the air or on the ground to attract gulls for entertainment.

Then, of course, there is the vast amount of take-away (throw-away) food discarded on our streets which will attract rats as well as other wildlife, including gulls.

Making our promenades safe and free from aggressive birds will be difficult and costly.

In the case of aggressive gulls, I fear we are reaping what we have sown.

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