Since 2019, NatureScot issued licences to kill:
3307 Ravens, 6507 Brown Hares, 4996 Mountain Hares, 6000 Gannets, 9448 Greylag Geese , 4809 Barnacle Geese.... Following pressure from our campaign, NatureScot has quietly released its detailed licence data into the public domain, in spite of telling me only last month that to process it "would not be viable". NatureScot u-turns on decision Last month, after a lengthy delay, NatureScot finally published a heavily edited set of licence data - but they rejected my call to share more detailed statistics, telling me that "while data on the specific numbers associated with each licence is very informative we concluded that the time taken to process this quantity of data would not be viable and would impede on current licensing demand." On my blog last month, I lamented the fact that NatureScot had declined to follow the lead of Natural England, who, as a result of our campaign, now publish their complete licence data annually. Change of heart... Last week, in an apparent change of heart, NatureScot updated the data on its official website to include a comprehensive set of statistics, including extensive details of its lethal control licences, which affect much of Scotland's wildlife. I only discovered this u-turn by chance, after I contacted NatureScot earlier this week, proposing that I release the figures myself - if they weren't going to. Although the updated data doesn't go as far as listing specific individual licences, we can now access much more detail, including the numbers of birds (and other animals) affected, which is perhaps the most significant data I had originally asked them to publish. So, what brought about NatureScot's sudden change of heart? I think it's safe to say that this positive development happened as a result of the pressure put on them by the good folks supporting our campaign. NatureScot now joins Natural England in publishing its previously hidden licensing data, so that it can be examined by the public. It's a great result. Figures reveal extent of lethal control The figures themselves however are less cause for celebration. With NatureScot overseeing a wide ranging programme of lethal wildlife 'control', Scotland is not a particularly safe place for many species. The Scottish government's nature agency permits the mass killing of many species of birds as well as other forms of wildlife. Although the data suggests that there has been a welcome recent decline in the numbers of some species permitted to be killed, and a reduction in the final reported numbers, for other birds and mammals it's been a different story; for example Carrion Crows, Goosanders and Pink Footed Geese have seen an increase in the numbers killed over a four year period, while Ravens also continue to be killed in significant numbers. For many types of gull there has been a general reduction in the numbers reported to have been killed, though one has to ask the question whether this is due to the mass slaughtering of gulls that was previously facilitated by NatureScot. Gulls were licensed to be killed in particularly high numbers in recent years, so it's not surprising that they present less of a 'problem' now - perhaps there are just not that many left.... The fate of Scotland's Hares Birds aside, the data also includes other animals, and I would draw your attention to the officially sanctioned persecution of Scottish hares.... Brown Hares and Mountain Hares are being killed in their thousands in Scotland, under licences issued by NatureScot. These licences are purportedly only issued for limited reasons including prevention of damage to forestry interests or for "social, economic or environmental purposes" (whatever that means). Nevertheless, NatureScot's licences permit the killing of thousands of hares, more than 11,000 since 2019, which is scandalous given that both Brown Hares and Mountain Hares are in steep and rapid population decline across the UK. In its defence, NatureScot would no doubt point to the lower numbers actually reported as killed on the licence returns, but the data speaks for itself and their licences continue to facilitate the mass slaughter of these increasingly rare mammals. People power So, anyway the data is out - please do take a look, it's important that we examine the statistics that we have worked hard to get released, and thanks to everyone supporting our campaign for helping to make the information available. If there are any specific concerns arising from the data release, do let me know and I will raise them with NatureScot directly. I have (mostly!) good communication with them now, which is another very helpful result of our campaigning. Thanks, as always, for your continued and amazing support. You can examine the updated NatureScot data HERE Meanwhile the campaign continues HERE
17 Comments
gary worman-buckland
15/8/2023 04:48:52 pm
WHY on earth are they killing Hares? More importantly , what damage to moors do these magnificent "prey" species do.
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Paul Fisher
15/8/2023 07:05:01 pm
Hares attract the attention of raptors to grouse moors. Like everything else on a grouse moor, they are unwanted by gamekeepers. NatureScot have far more sympathy with grouse moor owners than us plebs who wish to see all wildlife thrive. Draw your own conclusions.
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Lorraine Mitchell
15/8/2023 04:53:38 pm
Well done we have a decreasing population of wild animals birds etc in Britain
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David Ellerton
15/8/2023 04:54:20 pm
No wonder they what to keep it quite . Considering the effects of avian flu such bird culling has to stop . What is wrong with government officials that see so much of wildlife as vermin .
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Mike Nield
15/8/2023 04:57:03 pm
The fatal weakness of this licensing system is that it relies on "reported" numbers of kills.There are no in depth means of accurately monitoring the data rendering it largely meaningless.Records rely on the honesty of those carrying out the killing are they all honest??
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Jo Tritton
15/8/2023 05:30:38 pm
Well done Jason! Thank you for bringing this our attention and persisting going after them and their shameful behaviour. Let’s keep up the momentum to protect other animals and wildlife.
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Dr A Harvey
15/8/2023 05:57:07 pm
Stunned at the data.
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Pat Reed
15/8/2023 06:37:17 pm
Absolutely horrified and gobsmacked at the info about hares! Thanks for revealing this. Need to keep up the pressure.
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Fordham
15/8/2023 07:23:42 pm
Kill, kill and kill some more.What an epitaph for humanity.
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15/8/2023 07:47:38 pm
It Do's Not Give Good reading ,Our So called Government Departments Are Really A Cull Department . I am Sickened in this Day and Age That So called Enlightened People Are Accepting This ? Again And a Lot Will Know Take a Look at Jasons Page and My Favourite British Bird is On The List ,so I Ask WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE A BULLFINCH ?
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15/8/2023 11:28:14 pm
And not only bullfinches. Here in a village not 6 miles from the centre of Oxford, 50 years ago there used to be many more birds than there now are. Even sparrows are a rarity my end of it. I've not seen a thrush for years, nor a sparrow. This year, I did not hear the cuckoo and I could go on but it is too sad. Culling hares to 'protect' wildlife is just perverted.
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Richard Crowe
16/8/2023 01:13:08 am
The sickest part of this is the naming of these govt quangos NatureScot and Natural England...somethung so Orwellianin it like the Ministry of Love. and the Ministry of Truth... standing for almost the exact opposite. To have publically funded agencies like these in this time of such terrible declines in wildlife is abhorent and should become a bigger political issue.
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stuart shelton
16/8/2023 10:56:12 am
An idea. How about we cull a few of those damned civil servants responsible for the wildlife decline ? Then we let the numbers speak for themselves. If we ever again see a burgeoning population of, say, wildfowl and it becomes a nuisance then we can think again. We do not need these quangos and special departments which seem to exhibit no common sense at all. Stuart Shelton
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Sharon Smithen
16/8/2023 07:47:20 am
Seems to me there is absolutely no reason why these killings of birds, especially geese, and hares. What kind of people are applying for these licenses? Those who dislike wildlife? but love shooting and killing. A minority are allowed to do this for what. The majority would not agree I'm sure.
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Simon George Spratt
16/8/2023 09:37:09 am
They’re doing what they’re told by the central government in London!!
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Irene Leggett
19/8/2023 10:09:16 pm
No wonder our world, as we see it, is on the verge of total collapse when it appears that EVERY government department worldwide is 'authorising' the wipe-out of every species possible. There is NOT a single species that be identified as being wholly protected. Hunters in particular are the main reason that ALL wildlife and our environment is threatened, the hunters truly are the biggest scourge on our planet.
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