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For many years, it has been a common practice in rural areas for mole catchers to display the carcasses of the animals they capture by hanging them on fences. This serves both as proof of their trapping success and a means to receive payment. However, when Simon Lucas, a hill walker, posted a photo of this tradition on social media, the image sparked a heated debate online. Lucas, a 61-year-old musician from Bristol who frequently visits the Lake District in Cumbria, did not expect such a strong reaction.
During one of his February hikes along the road from Borrowdale to Seathwaite Farm, Lucas noticed a line of moles hanging by their pink snouts on a barbed wire fence. Their prominent front paws dangled unnervingly as they hung. He found the sight somewhat grisly but mainly fascinating and shared the photo on a Lake District-focused social media group to understand more about the practice. The post quickly generated hundreds of comments, revealing a sharp divide between urban and rural viewpoints. “There were people from the cities who said it was horrible and those in the countryside who were basically saying it’s country life if you don’t like it, don’t come,” Lucas reflected.
Moles are native and abundant across the UK, with populations estimated to exceed 40 million. Despite their ecological role, they are often considered pests by farmers due to the damage their tunneling causes. Their burrows can harm crop roots and pastureland, while the molehills themselves can negatively affect farming equipment. Richard Hodgson, a farmer from Northumberland, explained that mole soil sometimes contaminates hay and silage bales, reducing their quality and making the feed less palatable.
While it is legal to kill moles—classified as pests under government guidelines—they are protected under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which restricts the means by which they can be controlled to certain humane methods. Mikey Fullerton, a professional mole catcher from County Durham who inherited the trade from his father, defends the tradition of hanging moles on fences, emphasizing that it acts as a form of advertising to show farmers the extent of his work. He acknowledges that some find the practice offensive and, in certain locations, opts to keep the moles in buckets instead. Others, like Karen Barwick from Carlisle, feel uncomfortable seeing the moles displayed so openly, describing the sight as making her “a little sad and confused.”
Environmental voices like Duncan Hutt from the Northumberland Wildlife Trust praise moles for their beneficial role in ecosystems, where they aid soil aeration and natural pest control. Although Hutt understands the agricultural challenges posed by moles, he criticizes excessive control measures for aesthetic motives and describes the habit of hanging carcasses as outdated. Despite these differing opinions, Simon Lucas continues to visit the Lake District regularly and respects the historical roots of the tradition. He believes that rural communities should be allowed to maintain their ways of life, stating, “Maybe we should just leave people to carry on living the way they have for generations.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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