Holyrood urged to stop bird of prey killings

Time is running out to tackle the illegal killing of birds of prey in Scotland, MSPs have been told.

Campaigners who have lodged a petition at the Scottish Parliament calling for new measures accused the driven grouse moor sector of “running fast and loose with the law”.

Logan Steele, who is spearheading the move on behalf of the Scottish Raptor Study Group, wants the Scottish Government to bring in a stateregulated system of licensing of gamebird hunting.

Under such a scheme, a licence could be revoked or amended if the holder failed to comply with its conditions.

Mr Steele told Holyrood’s Environment Committee, which is examining the proposal, that the persecution of raptors had been “endemic” in Scotland for some time.

Despite a good legal framework in existence, enforcement was a “major issue” and “very little progress” had been made, he said.

Mr Steele said: “Whilst there is a good suite of legal tools in place it is still inadequate to crack down on the driven grouse moor element, which quite frankly seem to be running fast and loose with the law.

“They don’t seem to be concerned because the chance of being caught is very small and then the chance of prosecution is very small and the chance of a successful conviction is even smaller still. So my view is they are very much aware of the legal tools in place but they’re happy to take the risk.”