Red deer claims do not bear scrutiny

Sir,

I write in relation to two claims made by Iain Thornber in his column Morvern Lines (The Oban Times, March 8).

The first is where he claimed that red deer numbers in the West Highlands are ‘already at their lowest ever’. His claim was then used to prop up a lurid argument against proposed re-introduction of lynx, albeit confused by conflation of lynx and wolves.

I’m no authority on ecological matters, I am just one of a newer generation of readers who will not blindly accept every claim presented as fact, especially when the claim is then used in a clear and tabloid attempt to colour the thinking of the reader in relation to events yet to happen. It’s never been easier for the ordinary person to carry out their own online research to check such claims.

The Scottish Government report, Wild Deer in Scotland, 13/74, November 8, 2013, says: ‘Red deer numbers on the open hill have increased substantially (around a 75-80 per cent increase) since the 1960s’ and ‘The most recent population estimates for Scotland suggest overall numbers of between 360,000-400,000 red deer’.

This suggests to me that in this matter Mr Thornber is ignorant of Scottish Government statistics and is all too willing to provide false accounts for our collective memory. With this in mind, I’d invite Mr Thornber to elaborate and substantiate his claim relating to record low red deer numbers, with references.

The second claim is where he follows up with the inflammatory statement: ‘The problem is not the deer but the humans, which is so often the case where country matters are concerned.’

Here he appears to be suggesting that it is not the number of deer that is the problem but instead the number of humans in the countryside.

May I point out that that tactic has already been used and the land has not yet recovered from the application of those ‘country matters’. John Beaton, Oban.