Twenty forest strongholds in Scotland would save the red squirrel from extinction even if grey squirrels were to colonise the whole of Britain, according to research. Since their introduction from North America by Victorian enthusiasts, grey squirrels have pushed red squirrels out of much of the country, with reds outcompeted by the bigger greys and […]
Tag: scotland
Scottish legal battle begins over licences to shoot beavers
Wildlife campaigners are suing Scotland’s nature conservation agency for allowing farmers to kill wild beavers, arguing that it is in breach of its duties to protect vulnerable species. Trees for Life, a charity that campaigns for rewilding, has accused NatureScot of failing to protect beavers and insists the animals should be humanely trapped and relocated […]
A killer snap! Orca enthusiast captures incredible photo of a rare newborn calf swimming with its mother off the coast of Scotland
A lucky orca enthusiast has captured some incredible photos of a newborn calf swimming with its mother off the coast of Scotland. The orange-tinted baby was accompanied by four older killer whales as it played in the Moray Firth, near Duncansbayhead, Caithness. Wildlife enthusiast Karen Munro, 44, travels around Scotland from her home in Thurso, […]
Golden eagle deliberately poisoned near Balmoral estate, say police
The bird of prey was found dead on a hillside on the Invercauld Estate, in the heart of the Cairngorms, near Crathie and the Balmoral estate on March 19 after being illegally targeted with a toxic substance. Police Scotland said officers searched a number of properties on the estate on Tuesday as they continue carrying […]
The last surviving golden eagle in Wales was shot
The last surviving golden eagle in Wales was shot, it has been revealed. The dead bird was found by a walker on a mountainside this summer, after it had survived around 12 years in the country. A post mortem listed the bird’s death as systemic Aspergillosis, a fungal infection, but X-rays released after a Freedom […]
Grouse shooting: Majority of Scots opposed as row over sport continues
Almost three quarters of Scots are in opposition to grouse shooting, according to a new survey. The survey, commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports Scotland, found 71 per cent were opposed to grouse shooting, with only a “pitiful” 12 per cent in favour of the sport. It comes after a review recommended introducing a […]
Grouse moors under fire after golden eagle tag found in Scottish river
The satellite tag from a golden eagle which vanished in suspicious circumstances on a Scottish grouse moor four years ago has been found in a river, wrapped in lead sheeting. The tag was recovered earlier this year from the River Braan in Perthshire in what wildlife crime investigators believe is a breakthrough in their attempts […]
Handmade nest lures golden eagles back to Highlands estate
A nest of arm-sized sticks built on a precipitous crag by an octogenarian conservationist dangling from a rope has enticed a pair of golden eagles back to the Highlands of Scotland. The eyrie handmade by Roy Dennis, a renowned conservationist who has masterminded the revival of endangered species across Britain, helped the eagles successfully fledge […]