Michiel Perdeck asked David Barrie:

Hi, I very much enjoyed Incredible Journeys. Regarding the experiments with various animals, I was wondering about the ethical aspects. When describing the bird relocation experiments of Perdeck you say that this would not be allowed now. But the book is full of similar relocations and much more intrusive, chirurgical, experiments. Can you understand I have some reservations when reading this?

David Barrie Thanks very much for your question, Michiel. I assume you are a relation of Christiaan Perdeck.

I quite agree that Perdeck’s famous displacement studies probably caused no more suffering to individual birds than many of the more recent experiments I describe. But the scale was different. I don’t think displacements involving many thousands of animals would any longer be allowed. I meant no disrespect to Christiaan Perdeck.

I did touch on the ethics of animal experimentation in the preface to Incredible Journeys. But it’s a big and complicated subject. In general the rules governing animal experimentation (which vary a lot) have been getting steadily stricter since the 1950s. I think that’s a good thing, and most of the scientists I have spoken to would certainly agree.

I hope that answers your question. Thanks again for taking the trouble to write.

Best wishes

David Barrie

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