NatureScot defends its licence to kill in Glen Coe
NatureScot has backed its decision to permit out-of-season deer culling in Glen Coe.
The natural heritage agency was responding to calls from The Scottish Gamekeepers Association and people living and working in Glen Coe and Glen Etive for it to withdraw the licence that it granted to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) to shoot deer out of the legal seasons.
In a recent survey by The Scottish Gamekeepers Association, nearly 80 per cent of people from the area were opposed to the killings of wintering deer. Loss of jobs, negative impact on tourism and concerns over animal welfare were their main reasons.
A NatureScot spokesperson said granting the licence was “carefully considered” and that there were “no other means” to resolve the “negative impact” that high numbers of the iconic deer, with a lack of natural predators, can have on woodland and biodiversity.
According to the agency, the sustainable management of Scotland’s deer, including a significant reduction in numbers, is vital to protect and restore biodiversity and effectively tackle the nature loss and climate change crises.
A spokesman for The Scottish Gamekeepers Association said NatureScot’s justification was “scant”.
“Nearly 80 per cent of the local community don’t want this and are concerned. We have been approached by NTS members. Similarly, we recently learned of a tenant farmer who was unaware of the cull plan.
“There are a number of things which may have happened here. NTS could have shot more of the resident deer on their reserve, in season. If the objective was to reduce the population, they should have been culling hinds not stags and there has been a complete rejection of strategic fencing, without discussion. In addition to this, the community feel they have been kept in the dark.
“Given all of this, and the fact the plan may not even work unless all wintering deer are killed, the justification appears scant.”
One Glen Coe resident against the out of season culling said: “NatureScot’s response is so disappointing but no surprise. They are still not listening to the valuable concerns of local people and employees of local estates. It’s really tragic.”
And a deerstalker in Glen Coe said NatureScot’s response was “very bad news.”
“As a small minority, we are deeply sorry that NatureScot has seemingly crumpled to the NTS bully machine and our fate has been decided. As your grandchildren wander among our ruins, tell them of the subscription-funded genocide, that guised as conservation,” he said.
A spokesperson for NatureScot said: “Applications for authorisations are carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. We have issued authorisations in this area because we are satisfied that damage is occurring or is likely to occur, that reasonable efforts were taken in season to address the problem and that there are no other means that could reasonably be taken to resolve the issue,” said the spokesperson.
On average the local Deer Management Group culls around 1,000 deer annually, with only a proportion of these culled under authorisation from NatureScot.
Its spokesperson said: “Deer welfare is a priority for NatureScot and something we take very seriously.
“The requirements for anyone culling deer at any time in Scotland are set out in detail in best practice guidance on the management of wild deer in Scotland.
“Any authorisation issued by NatureScot includes conditions that reinforce this best practice and authorisation also requires controllers to be assessed as fit and competent.”
On page 13 in this week’s edition we carry an opinion piece from a deerstalker’s perspective.