As seagull numbers double, how can we protect ourselves?
Pests or just harmless birds?
Whatever you think of them, the West Country certainly isn't short of seagulls whether you live in urban or seaside parts of the region. >Growing reports of seagull attacks are down to the fact urban populations of the birds have doubled, experts say. Peter Rock is counting gull colonies, and he says numbers have doubled in just fifteen years.
The first national survey of gull colonies in 2000 found 239. On his latest survey Mr Rock has found 513 and he's still counting.
So the increase in attacks is no surprise he says. The birds will attack humans to protect their young - but what most people experience is simply a grab for food.
But trying to controlling them is easier said than done.
St Ives has become notorious for its aggressive gulls.
People aren't allowed to take the law into their own hands, as the gulls are legally protected. So what CAN we do?
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