We’re the problem, not the gulls

Sir, – It was a welcome change to read in P&J Letters (January 23) a more intelligent and balanced view of seagulls, submitted by Herbert Petrie. Not only does he advocate tolerance, but he contributes positive suggestions.

The gulls’ natural habitat has been destroyed by humans. Their feeding ground, the sea, has been overfished and polluted by carelessly discarded fishing gear, plastic, human sewage and oil spills, killing off the fish that gulls fed on.

The gulls, being adaptable and intelligent, as Mr Petrie has mentioned, have survived by moving inland, where there are ready supplies of food litter deposited on our streets – despite the numerous bins. In fact, gulls are helping to keep our streets cleaner.

Gulls are also blamed for noise, especially during their breeding season. Is this worse than the noise that humans make all year round? Cars, buses, trains, aeroplanes, police cars, ambulances, fire engines etc. One of the few joys of Covid was the wondrous silence of our roads.

Since 1970, the human population has risen above seven billion. Life expectancy now means more years in which we can continue the pollution of our land, sea, air and, more recently, space.

Is there any other creature that so effectively damages its environment to the detriment of its own species and others?

Perhaps Jenny Matheson has been so vociferous in deriding gulls as she missed the oft-repeated “discovery” Covid has brought home to us – the inestimable value to us of nature.

Myrna R Forrester, Springfield Road, Aberdeen.