Why do people such as Trevor Pateman always arrive at the conclusion that killing wildlife in large numbers is the only answer to what he feels is a public health issue caused by the high seagull and pigeon population in our city (Letters, June 21)?

We are all responsible for their increase. Wild birds breed according to their available food supply.

Also, much of their natural habitat has been taken over by man, along with erosion of their cliff-face habitat due to global warming (again, caused by humans). The seagulls' natural food supply has been destroyed by over-fishing.

On several counts, humans are the guilty party not the birds in the city, which are simply suviving and bringing up their young in the same way as human parents.

We have to stop using environmentally unfriendly plastic bin-bags, which provide easy pickings for thriving wildlife populations, and wake up to the fact that wheelie bins (unsightly or not), are healthier, "greener" and prevent seagulls and foxes from ripping open bin bags.

It is this which also helps attract rats and pigeons. There is another, consequent health riskfrom all the broken glass, sharp tin lids, household chemicals and rotting food which are left strewn around.

If we reduce animal's food supply - all the rubbish which is left about in our city - the numbers of seagulls, pigeons and other animals which rely on it will naturally decrease over time. It's simple.

It's so simple but, once again and sadly, some people, such as Mr Pateman, are quite happy to be part of the problem in the first place. Even before new methods of rubbish disposal were suggested he started preaching to the rest of us that resorting to a trigger-happy solution was the only answer.

To those who share similar genocidal views to Mr Pateman on wildlife, it is a fact man is the biggest threat to our planet and is subsequently at the top of the list of vermin.

Let's get our own house in order first before killing off wild animals which are only behaving naturally by feeding off the rubbish we can't organise ourselves to dispose of properly.

-J Harrison, Saltdean