Grouse Shooting: Nothing glorious about the mass killing of wildlife
The authorities must be vigilant in enforcing new wildlife protections during this year’s shooting season, says the Scottish Greens rural affairs spokesperson, Ariane Burgess MSP.
Ms Burgess’s comments come ahead of the so-called ‘Glorious 12th’ and the start of grouse shooting season, which is the first since the introduction of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Act in April 2024.
This legislation, which was a key commitment of the Bute House Agreement that brought the Scottish Greens into government, introduced a number of key protections that the Party have long called for, including a ban on the uncontrolled burning of Scottish uplands, legal protections for iconic birds of prey and a licensing system for grouse shooting.
Ms Burgess said:
“There’s nothing 'glorious' about the killing of helpless animals. Yet, every year, we have seen this organised cruelty taking place across Scotland.
“I hope that this is the year that we will start to see change. We have had a huge step forward in wildlife protections, following the passing of legislation to end the lawless and bloody scenes that have become so common.
“This is the first year that these new laws will be used. We will all need to be vigilant and learn from their enforcement.
“For decades, shooting estates have failed to control the killing of our iconic birds of prey, and it is crucial that any estates found to be in breach of their obligations are held accountable.
“Our world-renowned landscapes are for all of us. They are not, and must never be, a playground for a small number of wealthy shooters. It’s great to see the leadership of estates that have decided to move away from these barbaric practices.
“The Scottish Greens will always stand against bloodsports and the ritualistic killing of animals, and I hope that these new protections will be a key step on our journey in ending them and in protecting the world around us.”
Ms Burgess added: “People who work on the shooting estates are extremely skilled. What we need is for them to be supported to take those skills and use them to work with nature in support of regeneration and restoration of our much degraded biodiversity.
“I am also pleased that, for the first time, the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will have crucial new investigative powers to catch and punish wildlife criminals, ensuring that those determined to destroy our natural environment face serious repercussions.”