Nothing glorious about killing wildlife for fun
Scotland’s countryside should be restored for people, wildlife and the climate, not managed as a playground for bloodsports, say the Scottish Greens.
The Scottish Greens have renewed calls for an end to driven grouse shooting ahead of the so-called “Glorious Twelfth”, which marks the beginning of the red grouse shooting season.
The party’s rural affairs spokesperson, Ariane Burgess MSP, said the annual shooting season is a reminder of the huge areas of Scotland’s countryside that continue to be intensively managed so that grouse can be killed for entertainment.
This comes as Scotland’s natural landscape has been hit with a series of devastating wildfires, highlighting the need to prioritise land management for nature restoration over hunting for fun.
Scottish Greens rural affairs spokesperson Ariane Burgess MSP said:
“There is nothing glorious about killing animals for fun.
“Grouse are living, sentient animals, not targets for somebody’s entertainment. No animal should have to suffer and die simply because somebody thinks killing it makes for a good day out.
“Their numbers are deliberately kept unnaturally high so there are more birds to shoot. The patchwork we see across our hillsides is created by burning land to stimulate new growth whilst thousands of other wild animals are killed to keep grouse numbers artificially high, just so more birds can ultimately be shot for sport.
“Scotland has taken important steps to protect our wildlife in recent years. Parliament has banned cruel snares and glue traps and agreed stronger protections for the way our moors are managed.
“But animals cannot speak up for themselves, so it is our responsibility to do it for them. Without stronger protections, more innocent and defenceless animals will continue to be shot and killed simply for someone else’s entertainment.
“There is nothing sporting about that, and there is certainly nothing glorious about it.”
Ariane added:
“After another summer in which we have seen the enormous destruction that wildfires can cause, we should be restoring our nature and making our countryside more resilient to the climate crisis, not intensively managing vast landscapes to produce more birds to be shot.
“Scotland’s land is one of our greatest assets. It should be supporting thriving rural communities, restoring nature and tackling the climate crisis, rather than serving as a private playground for the wealthy few.
“The real glorious future for Scotland’s moors would be seeing wildlife flourish on them, peatlands restored and rural jobs created through the recovery of our natural environment.”