LANDOWNERS are urging the new Scottish Government to let them to kill legally protected birds of prey to allow lucrative grouse moors to thrive and end the incentive for illegal poisonings
The Scottish Rural Property and Business Association (SRPBA) has called on Holyrood to grant licences to Scottish sporting estates that would allow the targeted culling of increasingly-common species such as buzzards and ravens.
Both species have been linked with the death of grouse chicks and many landowners believe that populations have grown so much that a limited cull would not harm overall numbers.
Crucially, it would also reduce the incentive for some land managers and gamekeepers to kill the birds illegally by poisoning or shooting.
Doug McAdam, the chief executive of the SRPBA, said: "The government have seemed reluctant to grant licences in this area and that is regrettable, and I would hope that (the new government] would really grasp this nettle because it can only help the problem."
The environment charity RSPB rejected the calls and said that it was a "bizarre" suggestion. Duncan Orr Ewing, head of species and land management at the RSPB, said: "I find this particularly bizarre and I think this is holding society to ransom.
"What people are effectively saying is you know we will obey the law if you give us the right to kill protected species. Society has decided that these birds need protection and are vulnerable."
At least five bird of prey species that became extinct in the UK have seen a dramatic reversal of their fortunes in recent years, including white tailed eagles which have been reintroduced in Scotland. But ospreys, buzzards, harriers and goshawks have all managed to re-establish themselves in this country and have seen their numbers increase in the past decade.
The call will be made in a BBC 2 Scotland documentary, which will be screened on Tuesday. The programme also examines claims that the law against killing birds of prey is being flouted across Scotland.
The Scotsman
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