Scotland’s mountain hare shooting industry exposed in new report
OneKind, Scotland’s animal campaigns charity, will release a new report on the persecution of mountain hares in Scotland on Monday 31 July, a day before the open season on mountain hare killing begins.
The report titled Mountain hare persecution in Scotland exposes the scale of mountain hare killing for recreational purposes in Scotland.
Mountain hare shooting is one of many country sports offered by Scottish game estates, and grouse moor managers also organise culls of the animals in an effort to protect red grouse for sport shooting. The report names 25 companies that have been offering mountain hare shooting in Scotland, eight of which are promoted by the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group (SCSTG). The SCSTG website lists Government agencies, Visit Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), as partner organisations.
One company, Mirani hunting, was using an image of hunters standing by the carcasses of dozens of hares to promote its services on VisitScotland.org. Another, Viscount Sporting, offered a day’s shooting of 80-100 hares for groups of 9 for £4,200. Both webpages have been removed following enquiries relating to OneKind’s report.
The report also highlights two grants SCSTG received worth £36,675 from VisitScotland in the last five years.
OneKind Director Harry Huyton said:
“Mountain hares are an iconic species in Scotland that should be protected. Our report shows that instead they are persecuted in enormous numbers for entertainment. This killing is unregulated, and there are no guarantees that it is not further driving the decline of these species or causing unacceptable suffering.
“Today, the day before the open season begins, OneKind is calling on the Scottish Government to take urgent action and introduce a moratorium on large-scale hunts and culls before the season gets into full swing.”
On the apparent endorsement of large-scale recreational hare killing by Scottish Government agencies, Harry Huyton said:
“I hope that Visit Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage share our surprise and displeasure with what we have revealed in our report. It’s simply not appropriate for Government agencies to actively promote the large-scale recreational killing of native wildlife, and I am writing to both agencies today to ask them to remove their endorsement of the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group and businesses that offer these services.”
Mountain hare killing is not monitored in Scotland, however an estimate from an SNH study suggests that 25,000 mountain hares were killed in 2006/7. This is understood to be between 5-14% of the total population. It is thought that approximately 40% of those killed are shot for sport shooting, and 50% as part of organised culls.
The report lays out a series of recommendations including the introduction of complete protection of mountain hares within Scotland’s national parks, prohibiting mountain hare killing except under licence all year round, and strengthening and bringing transparency to the licensing arrangements.
A number of businesses advertising recreational mountain hare killing on their websites were approached for comment on the report last week. The following responses have been observed:
- The Balavil Estate website has been taken down and the following comment was provided: “A website set up by the previous owners of the Balavil Estate does not present an accurate description of the estate as it is today. We are seeking to close this website which is not in our ownership. Since 2015, Balavil Estate has had a new owner who is investing in land and properties on the estate, particularly in relation to its farming activities. The estate has no plans for hare shooting.”
- Viscount Sporting are no longer advertising mountain hare hunting. Their website now says that “hunting experiences will exclude Mountain Hare shooting as of the 2017 shooting season” and that they are “firmly in line with the current position of the Scottish Wildlife Trust”.
- The Mirani Hunting entry on VisitScotland.org appears to have removed the image of a mountain hare hunt.
Notes to editor:
- OneKind is a Scottish animal protection charity working to end cruelty to Scotland’s animals.
- Read OneKind’s report Mountain hare persecution in Scotland here.
- The image attached shows a screen grab of the Mirani Hunting page on VisitScotland.org taken in July 2017 (https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/mirani-hunting-p1190411).
There is no logic to this, species depletion…. all in the name of sport no doubt.
I think you are wrong and there is logic to slaughtering the mountain hares! I suspect that it may be a ploy of land owners to control eagle numbers (by the Back door). A major part of eagle’s prey is hares and so remove the hares and starve the eagles. White hunters used this tactic against the Red Indians when their staple food, buffalo were slaughtered.
Killing is wrong
Please start a petition OneKind, so we can all support you constructively.
Hi Fay,
We already have a petition that’s gathered over 11,000 signatures. It would be fantastic if you were able to add your name too – http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=75&ea.campaign.id=54084
Thanks,
Sarah
Agree. Is there no petition yet?
I just cannot understand the mentality of those who gain pleasure from killing wild animals such as mountain hares which pose no threat whatever to mankind – it is sick and anti-conservation.
What is wrong with these people. Is there no wildlife allowed to survive in Scotland and the world. It’s extremely sad because there is nothing more wonderful than seeing wild animals in their habitat. We need to get this stopped. Why are these people getting away with it?
Thanks for the comment Wendy. Totally agree. That’s why we must stand up for our wildlife and not let them get away with it!
These people always look for scapegoats where there precious grouse are concerned and the poor mountain hares fit the bill.
Yep, and sadly not just mountain hares!
Mountain hares are an iconic highland species, but are threatened. Scotland should be proud of its wildlife and doing everything possible to protect them. Wildlife should be prized by everyone, not condemned to death by a tiny minority of people who like to kill.