Scottish Natural Heritage defends raven-killing licence

By Kevin KeaneBBC Scotland's environment correspondent

2 May 2018

Scottish Natural Heritage has defended its controversial decision to allow ravens to be killed for the protection of wading birds.

The licence, for the Strathbraan area of Perth and Kinross, has prompted outrage from conservationists because ravens are a protected species.

But wading birds, such as lapwings and curlews, are in a rapid decline which is "reaching crisis point."

Land managers say the control measures allow all species to thrive.

Gamekeepers say the ravens often arrive in glens in significant numbers where they attack and kill the wading birds.

RSPB Scotland insists there is little evidence that ravens are the main cause of the decline in numbers.

Nick Halfhide, head of sustainable development at Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), told BBC Scotland: "We really understand that people find this a difficult topic. Killing one species to protect another isn't something that others like, but unfortunately it's something land managers do on a regular basis and they have to do that to protect their interests.

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Row breaks out over plan to allow gamekeepers to cull hundreds of ravens

Alistair Grant Political Correspondent

A ROW has broken out over controversial plans to push forward with an “experimental” cull of hundreds of ravens.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has granted a group of farmers and gamekeepers a five-year licence to kill 300 birds in Perthshire.

But RSPB Scotland has now claimed the scheme has little to do with protecting wading birds, as claimed – and is instead a thinly veiled attempt to get rid of a perceived pest to benefit grouse shooting estates.

It said it was “outraged” to learn a licence had been given to Strathbraan Community for Waders, which says it represents “some of the local land management…and private interests in the area who value wading birds for their biodiversity, social and economic value to the area and to Scotland more widely.”

Continued  

An act of 'unkindness'? Calls to cull ravens that peck sheep to death

The common raven is being held responsible for an upsurge in attacks on ewes and lambs, sparking calls for a relaxation on the rules on shooting them

Gerry Braiden, Local Government Correspondent

HERITAGE and wildlife bodies are facing calls to give more powers to kill ravens amid claims the bird is the biggest predatory threat to young lambs.

Farmers have claimed the common raven stalks 'in lamb' ewes in flocks of more than 30, attacking the eyes, mouth and other soft tissue of the mother and forcing it to lose its unborn young whilst in a state of shock.

The bird has also been accused of swooping in flocks onto ewes with twins to split one of the lambs, leading to the killing of both the mother and one of her offspring.

Calls for Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the RSPB to relax the rules on the killing of the bird, which has around 7500 breeding pairs in the UK, have been backed by several hundred people, mostly understood to be involved in agriculture and several of whom have claimed small farm holding cannot sustain the financial hit from the raven attacks.

But the RSPB said such a move would leave the move ravens open to local extinction, while SNH said any permission to shoot at the bird would simply be to deter them rather than any cull.

The petition calling for 'general licences' to be issued for the killing of ravens was instigated by 'pest control shooter' Danny Bissett who said there had been an upsurge in attacks on ewes and lambs, in part because the bird has natural predators and that it holds a protected status.

His petition states: "The manner in which colonies of the Common Raven have been allowed to grow, uncontrolled would call into question whether the RSPB and SNH have any idea as to what is being witnessed on the ground on a daily basis throughout the farming community, which is massed flocks of this species targeting both in lamb ewes and new born lambs.

"Currently demonstrated instances where SNH have issued landowners with a licence to take two Ravens when the issue is a flock of thirty is laughable and in no way meet the requirements of those who face multiple deaths of their livestock on a daily basis."

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Borders estates have bird control licences removed

 17:00Thursday 05 November 2015

Two Borders properties, Raeshaw Estates and Corsehope Farm, have had their general licences to control wild birds suspended by Scottish Natural Heritage.

This is the first time the conservation body has taken such action and the two Borders properties, both north of Stow, where joined by two estates in Stirlingshire, whose licences were also suspended based on evidence provided by Police Scotland.

Nick Halfhide, SNH director of operations, said: “There is clear evidence that wildlife crimes have been committed on these properties. Because of this, and the risk of more wildlife crimes taking place, we have suspended the general licences on these four properties for three years.

“They may though still apply for individual licences, but these will be closely monitored.

“This measure should help to protect wild birds in the area, while still allowing necessary land management activities to take place, albeit under tighter supervision.

“We consider that this is a proportionate response to protect wild birds in the area and prevent further wildlife crime.”

General licences allow landowners or land managers to carry out actions which would otherwise be illegal, including controlling common species of wild birds to protect crops or livestock, for the conservation of wild birds and for the preservation of public health and public safety.

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RSPB and WWT object to Barnacle Goose cull on Islay

Posted on: 20 Dec 2014

The RSPB and WWT have slammed a new 'sustainable' goose management strategy for the island of Islay, announced yesterday by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

Crop damage on the Argyll island will be reduced through scaring, diversionary feeding for Greenland White-fronted Geese, and "population reduction" of Greenland Barnacle Geese – that is, a partial cull. The local goose management group are charged with developing a scheme to deliver the strategy objectives, and any population reduction is planned to be made in increments.

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Golden eagles could return to southern Scotland

Improvements to habitats in the south of Scotland could lead the area to become a stronghold for golden eagles.

A study carried out by the Scottish Natural Heritage showed that the area could potentially support up to 16 pairs, almost four times the present number.

At the moment there are thought to be no more than one or two pairs in Galloway and no more than three in the Scottish Borders.

Prof Des Thompson of SNH, who led the research, told the BBC "We would now like to see on-the-ground, practical work to improve the habitat for golden eagles in the south of Scotland.

"With habitat improvements, we could see connections with the small reintroduced population in Ireland. This would help both groups of eagles and could even help bolster the population in the north of England."

Continued

'Action needed' after wading bird populations suffer decline

THE populations of four out of five wading birds on Scotland's farms have declined significantly over the past decade, a report has found.

Curlews, lapwings, oystercatchers and redshank have all decreased in numbers, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) found. However, the number of farmland seed-eating birds, such as linnets, skylarks, tree sparrows and yellowhammers, all rose.

Farmland birds in Scotland and further afield have been decreasing since the 1950s, with major declines in the 1970s and into the 1980s.

More intensive farming, climate change and changes in the areas where Scotland's farmland birds spend the winter have all contributed to the fall in numbers, according to SNH.

Susan Davies, the agency's director of policy and advice, said: "Many of our waders are struggling and that action needs to be taken.

"It's not all bad news though, and it's heartening to see some of Scotland's farmland birds increasing. The hard work by farmers and volunteers can pay dividends in helping wildlife.

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Final batch of sea eagles released from secret location in Fife

Six sea eagles have taken their first flight in Scottish skies, marking the end of a successful reintroduction programme.

September 2012. Over the past six years, 85 young birds have been released from a secret location in Fife in a bid to restore the species to its former range in eastern Scotland. Each bird has been fitted with a radio and wing tags so both project staff and the public can follow their future progress.

Once a regular sight in Scotland's skies, the sea eagle was driven to extinction in the Victorian era. It only returned to the UK following a successful reintroduction to the West of Scotland, on the Island of Rum in 1975. Although the majority of the Scottish population remains on the west of the country, the species is now regularly spotted in Eastern and Central Scotland too.

The partnership, which consists of RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, with additional financial support from Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Fife and Rural Tayside LEADER 2007-2013 Programme, now hope the birds will begin to produce young on Scotland's east coast in the coming years.

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson said: "We have been pleased to support this project over the last six years. The return of sea eagles to the skies of Scotland's east coast marks an important step in ensuring we now have a viable population of these magnificent birds. As well as fulfilling a role in our ecosystems, the birds are an important feature for our growing nature -based tourism industry."

Continued: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/fife-eagles-2012.html#cr