Call for wildlife bill to tackle predator control death toll
Hundreds of thousands of animals and birds will continue suffering long lingering deaths unless new laws and enforcement are made more robust, experts warn. Government ministers are pushing for radical change but they are expecting numerous amendments to Scotland’s new Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill before its Thursday deadline.
Animal ethics experts say much more still needs to be done to end the needless annual killing of around 260,000 birds on Scotland’s “killing fields” to make way for grouse shooting. They include endangered species like capercaillie and raptors, and almost 40% of those being killed are non-target species such as pine martens, hedgehogs, deer and hares.
Dr Clair Linzey, deputy director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics at Oxford University, said: “Hundreds of thousands of animals and birds are being killed in pursuit of predator control to ensure there are artificially high numbers of grouse. Research has shown hen harriers, red kites, peregrines and owls are among the birds being killed illegally.”
In a new report, Killing To Kill, Dr Linzey warns that it is almost impossible to gauge the true numbers because there is no requirement to report the deaths, and the lack of enforcement means poisoned birds and animals can linger in agony for up to seven days. In one study, up to 90% of dead barn owls were found to have ingested anti-coagulants found in rat poison.
Dr Linzey said: “Even though it is illegal to use poisons to kill raptors, the poisoned animals or their bodies are consumed by other animals, spreading the poison further into the environment, harming unintended animals.
“In their Birdcrime Report, the RSPB expressed concerns that these poisons are being used to illegally specifically target raptors. To allow these methods of management to continue unchecked is to fail to protect these endangered species.
“Effective legislation requires three important components: compliance, inspection and enforcement.” Amendments to the new Bill by Scottish Conservative MSP Edward Mountain call for glue traps to be licensed so they can still be used to control rodents in built-up areas where using poison is not appropriate.
He said: “Used properly by professional pest controllers they are most efficient in restaurants and health settings where the use of poison and traps is not appropriate.”
Ross Ewing, director of moorland at Scottish Land and Estates, also warns the new Bill compromises grouse moors which add £30 million to the economy.
He said: “They provide a lifeline for many fragile, rural communities and set the stage for a tourism offering that is widely regarded as world-class.”
Environment Minister Gillian Martin said: “The Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill contains a range of measures that will strengthen protections for our wildlife and will combat the blight of raptor persecution throughout Scotland. Our Bill will strike a balance between further safeguarding our environment and supporting our rural economy.”