Latest news with #ConorMcKinney
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- General
- RTÉ News
Ecologists concerned at parakeet numbers in Belfast park
Ecologists have expressed their concern at a growing wild parakeet population at a Belfast park. Parakeets are native to tropical Africa and the Indian subcontinent, and are considered invasive in most regions outside their native range. The Waterworks Park in Belfast is home to around 15 ring-necked parakeets. Conservationists are concerned about their growing numbers as they compete with native birds like starlings and sparrows for food and nesting holes. Chairperson of Wild Belfast, Conor McKinney, believes that something needs to be done "before it gets out of control." The British Ornithology Trust said parakeet numbers across the UK have increased by 2000% since 1995.
ITV News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
Invasive parakeets now 'unstoppable' as population size doubles in ten years
New figures show a steep rise in the population of parakeets now living wild in the UK, with experts warning of a "green invasion." Figures given to ITV News by the British Trust for Ornithology show 'an astronomical rise,' which researchers have said is now 'unstoppable'. Originally from India and Pakistan, the ring-necked parakeets are officially 'an invasive species,' but the emerald, green parakeet has thrived in cities from Plymouth to Aberdeen - reaching much of Wales and even parts of Northern Ireland. This spring, tens of thousands of ring-necked parakeets are nesting in the UK - leading to concerns from some ecologists. Viola Ross-Smith of the British Trust for Ornithology told ITV News: 'It's basically going up and up and up, it seems kind of unstoppable. 'Since 1995 we've seen an increase of more than 2000%." She added that the population has not only doubled in the last 10 years, but also went up by "almost a third in the last five years.' In Belfast, some conservationists want all the birds to be trapped and put into captivity. Parakeets compete with native birds such as starlings and sparrows for nesting holes and food. Conor McKinney, Chairman of Wild Belfast, told ITV News: 'We could be looking at exclosures for instance. We could also be looking at mist netting. 'These are nets that are put up, they are practically invisible to birds and then we could collect them by hand. 'The opportunity is here, the time is ripe, we need to do something about these birds before it gets out of control.' Many myths have grown surrounding how the parakeets got here. Some believe the species became established in 1950 after birds were released from the jungle set of 'The African Queen', built in the London area. Another theory is that the recording artist Jimi Hendrix released a pair in Carnaby Street in 1966. Professor Tim Blackburn, an expert in invasive species from University College London, told ITV News: 'There was a disease called Psittacosis, colloquially known as parrot flu. 'And it seems likely that this scare caused people who had parakeets as pets, or other parrots as pets, to let those parrots go.' There is little evidence of damage from the parakeets, but experts say they are being carefully monitored amid fears they will spread into farming areas. Meanwhile, there's no doubting their public popularity in gardens and parks across the UK.
STV News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- STV News
Invasive parakeets now 'unstoppable' as population size doubles in ten years
New figures show a steep rise in the population of parakeets now living wild in the UK, with experts warning of a 'green invasion.' Figures given to ITV News by the British Trust for Ornithology show 'an astronomical rise,' which researchers have said is now 'unstoppable'. Originally from India and Pakistan, the ring-necked parakeets are officially 'an invasive species,' but the emerald, green parakeet has thrived in cities from Plymouth to Aberdeen – reaching much of Wales and even parts of Northern Ireland. This spring, tens of thousands of ring-necked parakeets are nesting in the UK – leading to concerns from some ecologists. Multiple myths exist over how the parakeets first came to the UK. / Credit: ITV News Viola Ross-Smith of the British Trust for Ornithology told ITV News: 'It's basically going up and up and up, it seems kind of unstoppable. 'Since 1995 we've seen an increase of more than 2000%.' She added that the population has not only doubled in the last 10 years, but also went up by 'almost a third in the last five years.' In Belfast, some conservationists want all the birds to be trapped and put into captivity. Parakeets compete with native birds such as starlings and sparrows for nesting holes and food. Conor McKinney, Chairman of Wild Belfast, told ITV News: 'We could be looking at exclosures for instance. We could also be looking at mist netting. 'These are nets that are put up, they are practically invisible to birds and then we could collect them by hand. 'The opportunity is here, the time is ripe, we need to do something about these birds before it gets out of control.' Many myths have grown surrounding how the parakeets got here. Some believe the species became established in 1950 after birds were released from the jungle set of 'The African Queen', built in the London area. Another theory is that the recording artist Jimi Hendrix released a pair in Carnaby Street in 1966. Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. Professor Tim Blackburn, an expert in invasive species from University College London, told ITV News: 'There was a disease called Psittacosis, colloquially known as parrot flu. 'And it seems likely that this scare caused people who had parakeets as pets, or other parrots as pets, to let those parrots go.' There is little evidence of damage from the parakeets, but experts say they are being carefully monitored amid fears they will spread into farming areas. Meanwhile, there's no doubting their public popularity in gardens and parks across the UK. Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know… Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Nature must be 'priority' in park opening hours changes
A nature charity has said "protection must be a priority" if a consultation by the Belfast City Council leads to park opening hours being extended. The consultation, which ends on Wednesday, focuses on five of the city's parks, namely, Ormeau Park, Woodvale Park, Falls Park, Botanic Gardens and Belmont Park. Currently, these parks operate under the council's standard "dawn to dusk" opening hours, extending to 22:00 BST in the summer. A council spokesperson said they where inviting "feedback on a variety of options around extended opening hours". Belfast based nature charity Wild Belfast has said "protection must be a priority" if a consultation by the council leads to park opening hours being extended. Conor McKinney, chair of Wild Belfast, said "in principal" they supported the councils decision to consult the public on the issue. "The public cannot be expected to protect nature if they do not have access to nature." He added that "nature is in crisis" with Northern Ireland "ranked 12th worst out of 240 countries for biodiversity loss". Wild Belfast's main concern is with the lighting which would be needed to accommodate extra opening hours "It is vital that any lighting introduced alongside 24-hour opening does not disturb species," Mr McKinney said. The charity have already observed the impact light disturbance can have on Belfast species. Mr McKinney highlighted how new lighting introduced in 2020 on the Albert Bridge in Belfast had affected the starling population. He added that the council should look at evidence from other parts of the UK and beyond who have introduced similar opening hours. Botanic Gardens is one of the parks which is being discussed as part of the consultation. Adam Bayhan lives close by and has witnessed some disruptive behaviour in the past. "We love this park and it's a beautiful place to hang out... some people could do something that could damage this natural beauty. I do not wish to see that," he said. "We're meant to protect this area, for us, for the animals and nature." Anti-social behaviour is also a concern for Sean Murray. "I think it encourages more people to be out on the streets late at night if the parks are open later, which I don't think is a great idea to be honest with you," he said. Sean said the area would be hard to police, given the park's many entrances and shrubbery. Susan Maxwell, who walks in Botanic Gardens often, said the current arrangements suit her fine. "I wouldn't walk through a park at night because I would just feel very vulnerable, so I would only walk in the park during the day," she said. She added while the later hours might be more appealing to younger people, she would worry about them getting home late at night. Eimear Murphy and Nancy Lynn live in student areas near Botanic Gardens. Nancy admitted it could be beneficial to keep the parks open later in spring but the current summer curfew of 22:00 works. "I think 24/7 could end up being a bit dangerous," she added. "If it was opening late there would definitely need to be patrols on and street lights and stuff like that." Safety is also Eimear's biggest concern, pointing to the case of Sarah Everard - a 33-year-old woman who was abducted, raped and murdered by a London police officer as she walked home in 2021. "I think if you were to extend it, there would need to be rangers or people working here because the council do drive around every so often but if it was open late I wouldn't feel safe walking by myself," she said. In 2022, a woman was seriously sexually assaulted in Botanic Gardens late at night. Aidan McGourty is similarly worried about the safety of those using the park at night. "You wouldn't want parks open at night because kids will start drinking at night so I think it should be whenever there's daylight," he said. "No matter how you do it, you would have people collecting and having parties, drinking and making a mess." Alliance's Botanic Councillor Emmet McDonough-Brown said he was "delighted" the consultation was under way. He said he thinks extra open hours will "enable more people to use the parks and their facilities", while "extending" the city's connectivity. However, he did add that work would need to be done to ensure safety. A council spokesperson said recent investment into improving lighting along the main pathways in some parks had created the opportunity to trial longer opening times. They said they want to ensure the needs of the community are balanced with "considerations around viability, safety and environmental impact". Findings of the consultation will be presented to councillors alongside recommendations. If approved and funding is secured the council will run a pilot scheme, during which the new arrangements will be monitored. A follow-up consultation will then assess the impact before any final decisions are made. Families avoiding Falls Park due to 'criminality'
BBC News
15-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Consultation to extend Belfast parks opening hours to close later
A nature charity has said "protection must be a priority" if a consultation by the Belfast City Council leads to park opening hours being consultation, which ends on Wednesday, focuses on five of the city's parks, namely, Ormeau Park, Woodvale Park, Falls Park, Botanic Gardens and Belmont these parks operate under the council's standard "dawn to dusk" opening hours, extending to 22:00 BST in the summer.A council spokesperson said they where inviting "feedback on a variety of options around extended opening hours". Belfast based nature charity Wild Belfast has said "protection must be a priority" if a consultation by the council leads to park opening hours being extended. 'Nature in crisis' Conor McKinney, chair of Wild Belfast, said "in principal" they supported the councils decision to consult the public on the issue. "The public cannot be expected to protect nature if they do not have access to nature." He added that "nature is in crisis" with Northern Ireland "ranked 12th worst out of 240 countries for biodiversity loss". Wild Belfast's main concern is with the lighting which would be needed to accommodate extra opening hours"It is vital that any lighting introduced alongside 24-hour opening does not disturb species," Mr McKinney charity have already observed the impact light disturbance can have on Belfast McKinney highlighted how new lighting introduced in 2020 on the Albert Bridge in Belfast had affected the starling population. He added that the council should look at evidence from other parts of the UK and beyond who have introduced similar opening hours. 'We're meant to protect this area' Botanic Gardens is one of the parks which is being discussed as part of the consultation. Adam Bayhan lives close by and has witnessed some disruptive behaviour in the past."We love this park and it's a beautiful place to hang out... some people could do something that could damage this natural beauty. I do not wish to see that," he said."We're meant to protect this area, for us, for the animals and nature." Anti-social behaviour is also a concern for Sean Murray."I think it encourages more people to be out on the streets late at night if the parks are open later, which I don't think is a great idea to be honest with you," he said the area would be hard to police, given the park's many entrances and shrubbery. 'I would feel vulnerable' Susan Maxwell, who walks in Botanic Gardens often, said the current arrangements suit her fine."I wouldn't walk through a park at night because I would just feel very vulnerable, so I would only walk in the park during the day," she added while the later hours might be more appealing to younger people, she would worry about them getting home late at night. Eimear Murphy and Nancy Lynn live in student areas near Botanic admitted it could be beneficial to keep the parks open later in spring but the current summer curfew of 22:00 works."I think 24/7 could end up being a bit dangerous," she added."If it was opening late there would definitely need to be patrols on and street lights and stuff like that."Safety is also Eimear's biggest concern, pointing to the case of Sarah Everard - a 33-year-old woman who was abducted, raped and murdered by a London police officer as she walked home in 2021."I think if you were to extend it, there would need to be rangers or people working here because the council do drive around every so often but if it was open late I wouldn't feel safe walking by myself," she 2022, a woman was seriously sexually assaulted in Botanic Gardens late at night. Aidan McGourty is similarly worried about the safety of those using the park at night."You wouldn't want parks open at night because kids will start drinking at night so I think it should be whenever there's daylight," he said."No matter how you do it, you would have people collecting and having parties, drinking and making a mess." Work to be done to ensure safety Alliance's Botanic Councillor Emmet McDonough-Brown said he was "delighted" the consultation was under way. He said he thinks extra open hours will "enable more people to use the parks and their facilities", while "extending" the city's connectivity. However, he did add that work would need to be done to ensure safety. A council spokesperson said recent investment into improving lighting along the main pathways in some parks had created the opportunity to trial longer opening times. They said they want to ensure the needs of the community are balanced with "considerations around viability, safety and environmental impact". Findings of the consultation will be presented to councillors alongside approved and funding is secured the council will run a pilot scheme, during which the new arrangements will be monitored. A follow-up consultation will then assess the impact before any final decisions are made.
