Benson (carp)
Benson (* approx. 1984 ; † August 4, 2009 ) was a female common carp , which was at times the largest representative of its species in Great Britain and gained fame through numerous catches.
Life
The carp Benson in 1995 in King waterlake the Bluebell Lakes complex near Peterborough ( Cambridgeshire settled). At this point the fish already weighed about 11 kg. The fish got its name from the cigarette brand Benson & Hedges because of a hole in its dorsal fin, the shape of which was reminiscent of a burn hole. The carp Hedges , released at the same time, disappeared in 1998 after a flood in the River Nene .
Unlike other large carp that have waiting lists for attempted fishing, any private angler with a day license could try fishing Benson. As a result, the carp was caught 63 times and put back into the lake each time. In a one-off phase of 6 weeks alone, Benson was caught every Monday. Because of the frequent catches, Benson's weight was well known. In 2002 it weighed just under 26 kg and was not yet the largest British carp. In 2005 his weight was given as 26.6 kg, in 2007 with 26.8 kg, in August 2009 finally with 29.1 kg.
death
On August 4, 2009, Benson was found dead in Kingwater Lake, the autopsy revealed that he was poisoned, presumably from mistreated nuts found in large numbers on the lakeshore that may have been used uncooked as bait. The animal was probably around 25 years old.
Media coverage
Benson's death sparked a veritable flood of news coverage, most British television stations ran short reports, the London Times reported on the front page. Benson's story spread internationally through agency reports from Reuters and Associated Press . The animal rights organization PETA urged anglers to hang up their rods in memory of Benson. This broad impact was partially as a typical phenomenon of the " silly season (Engl." Silly season ) considered.
Web links
- Death of "the peoples' fish" . Tony Bridgefoot, of the Bluebells Lakes complex, discusses the death of Benson. BBC Radio, August 4th 2009
- Fishermen mourn death of a carp . BBC News channel, TV report on Benson's death
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Angling world in mourning for Benson the celebrity carp . The Times, Aug. 4, 2009
- ^ Benson the carp was near the top of angling's household names . The Times, Aug. 4, 2009
- ↑ Fishing: Dustbin lid is a bream catch. The People, May 29, 2005
- ↑ Ray lands record-breaking 61 lb monster carp . Petersborough Independent, November 9, 2007
- ↑ Britain's biggest common carp is 'poisoned' , The Telegraph, accessed March 19, 2011
- ↑ The silly season: Benson the carp and other fishy tales . The Guardian, Aug. 4, 2009