Scottish hares amendment 'triumph' and 'flawed'
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Reactions today (Thursday, June 18) have been markedly different from the opposing sides of the arguments over hare protection in Scotland following the Scottish Government's decision to accept an amendment bringing full protection for mountain hares.
OneKind animal protection charity hailed the decision for 'effectively ending the mass scale mountain hare killings'.
It was “a triumph” for Holyrood's hare champions and which demonsrtrated "the willingness of a Minister to listen to the public opinion on the status of this cherished species."
Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone lodged Amendment 30 to the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill only last week.
Yesterday, as the Bill progressed through its final stage, rural affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon MSP announced that the Scottish Government would support the amendment.
This means that, once the Bill passes into law, the mountain hare will be added to Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, as it extends to Scotland, and it will be an offence intentionally or recklessly to kill, injure or take a mountain hare without a specific licence.
Mountain hares are currently persecuted in mass scale culls by the driven grouse shooting industry, with around 26,000 mountain hares being killed in Scotland each year.
OneKind director Bob Elliot said: “This is a triumph for one of the Scottish Parliament’s hare champions, Alison Johnstone, and also underlines the willingness of a Minister to listen to public opinion on the status of this cherished species.
“Different reasons given by the grouse shooting industry for the supposed need to control mountain hares, such as the prevention of louping ill, a disease carried by ticks, have been successively discounted, and animal welfare has taken precedence.”
The announcement comes in the wake of repeated calls for change from animal welfare organisations, such as OneKind, and conservation organisations, highlighting the fragile nature of Scotland’s mountain hare population and the welfare consequences of shooting a small, fast-moving animal as part of a wildlife “management” or recreational pursuit.
But Scottish Land & Estates said gamekeepers and land managers were ‘dismayed’ by the vote.
Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive, said: “We are extremely disappointed that the Scottish Parliament has voted for sweeping changes to regulations covering the control of mountain hares and the introduction of further criminal offences of vicarious liability around the use of traps and snares.
“These changes will not help Scotland’s wildlife, which is the prime concern of gamekeepers and land managers.
"Mountain hares are thriving on Scotland’s moors and their fate will not be improved by this vote. There is clear evidence that the control of hares helps combat tick and Lyme disease and protect plants and young trees.
"Balanced wildlife management is key to meeting Scottish Government targets on biodiversity and tree planting. It was disappointing that this seems to have disregarded by so many at Holyrood.
“Yet again, we have seen rushed, last-minute amendments to a bill which will lead to flawed legislation. It cannot be good governance to have years’ of scientific research, evidence and effort tossed aside without proper consideration.
"We support better animal welfare standards and strong penalties for wildlife crime and backed this bill’s objectives but are dismayed that legislation is passed without the type of scrutiny that the public would expect.”
The timing of this amendment was heavily criticised by senior MSPs from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and SNP.
Dr Colin Shedden, British Association for Shooting and Conservation director in Scotland, said: “In voting for this amendment, some members of the Scottish Parliament have effectively ignored the positive association between grouse moors management and mountain hare conservation. "However, it is clear that Scottish Ministers recognise the need for a licensing system and BASC, on behalf of seven land management organisations, submitted licensing proposals to the Minister yesterday.
“We will be continuing to work with Government to ensure licensing of shoots provides sustainable management of mountain hares.
"The decision may be classed as a win for the Green Party but without licensing it will categorically not help conserve the mountain hare.
“At a time of national and biodiversity crisis it beggars belief that the Green Party are politicising wildlife management issues by fast-tracking ill-judged legislative amendments.”
The amendment introduced at the third stage of the Animals and Wildlife (Scotland) Bill passed by 60 to 19 votes.
Scotland’s rural organisations later expressed ‘shock and dismay’ about the parliamentary process which has led to full licensing of mountain hare controls.
In a joint letter sent to Mairi Gougeon MSP, Minister for Rural Affairs and Natural Environment, the six organisations said that whilst they had supported the broad thrust of this new animal welfare bill, the last-minute amendment from Alison Johnstone MSP deliberately misused Holyrood procedures to avoid scrutiny and considered debate.
The organisations represented in the letter are Scottish Land & Estates, BASC, Scottish Gamekeepers Association, Association of Deer Management Groups, Scottish Countryside Alliance and SACS.
