We've all seen the stomach-churning photographs of trophy hunters proudly sitting alongside a beautiful wild animal they have just killed, and we have been sickened that in the 21st century these cowardly acts of desecration still continue.
But you might be shocked, very shocked, to learn that this repulsive 'sport' is also thriving here in the UK. Some dubious British companies are offering sadistic tourists the chance to stalk and kill our native wildlife – for 'fun'. Described as a recreational sport, the practice is, bizarrely, not illegal but some of the animals being hunted and slaughtered in the name of recreation are amongst the rarest of our country's creatures including the endangered wild mountain goat, perhaps the most beautiful and elusive wild animal in Britain. Mountain goats have somehow missed out on the official protection offered to other threatened species and this loophole is being exploited by the unpleasant companies who advertise the opportunity to stalk and shoot them for a fee. Hunting mountain goats is openly advertised in Scotland and Northumbria, where numbers of this precious animal have been steadily in decline, and there are reports that the barbaric sport is also being pursued in Wales, where the population of these wonderful creatures is estimated to be less than 500 individuals. Due to the fact that wild mountain goats are not officially classified as 'game', and because they are not protected by any formal laws, there is no closed season for hunting them which has left them wide open to a free-for-all abhorrent killing spree. Frenzied carnage, carried out by vile individuals who get a kick out of slaughtering a rare and beautiful animal. This cannot be tolerated in a country that is supposed to be leading the way in modern thinking with regard to conservation – it is at the very least an anachronism in the 21st century and is another shameful reflection on the human race. I'll leave the final words to the Welsh Mountain Goats Facebook page, which in January issued this plea:- “In the UK it is legal to kill any wild goat at any time of the year. It is legal for companies to charge a fee if you shoot one. It is legal for a shot goat's head to be mounted on a paying tourist's wall..... Please please share this post. Let the world know what is happening on [our] doorstep before every mountain goat is dead.”
3 Comments
Debbie Macmillan
19/4/2018 05:25:30 pm
Shocked about this as these animals are harmless and many people love to see them. The only trouble I know about is in the Trossachs area of Scotland when several times the RSBP has culled some of the goats in the area and around Loch Lomand because they say too many are eating from trees and on areas of ground nesting birds which affect them and other birds. There has been many objections from locals but it was ignored. Not so long ago the Hillside Sanctuary intervened and said they would take the goats to their place and the RSPB said no that they wouldn't be able to catch them. I wrote at the time to tell them that the Sanctuary were quite capable of catching them as they have rescued thousands of animals but they weren't interested - probably got paid by the hunters! :(
Reply
Hi Debbie,
Reply
Carole Nanson
20/4/2018 05:35:38 am
Stop this killing All these precious animals are going extinct....
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
If you appreciate what I write about, please consider showing your support by buying me a virtual coffee!
Click the button below! Thanks :) Archives
July 2023
|