The Scotsman

Call for end to mountain hare culls

- By ILONA AMOS

Grouse moor reform campaigner­s are calling on Scottish ministers to take action to stop mass killing of native mountain hares.

The calls come a year after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament that large-scale culling of mountain hares on grouse moors is “not acceptable”.

Mountain hares are protected during the closed season – from 1 March to 31 July – but can be legally killed outside of that time.

The coalition Revive, which is supported by wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham, is appealing for a permanent year-round ban to be implemente­d before the open season begins on 1 August.

Around 26,000 mountain hares are killed in the Scottish uplands each year.

Revive’s Max Wiszniewsk­i said: “The brutality of these culls is sickening and the irony is that it is all done in the false hope that it will increase the number of red grouse to be shot for entertainm­ent.”

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