Concern that mountain hares won’t have legal protection before open season
Campaign group Revive, the coalition for grouse moor reform, says it is concerned mountain hares won’t be protected from persecution when the open season begins on 1st August. The species, which is iconic to Scotland, was given legal protection under the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill passed last month.
However, the Bill has yet to receive Royal Assent meaning when the open season for killing hares resumes next month, the new measures to protect them won’t be in place.
Campaign Manager for Revive Max Wiszniewski said: “Mountain hare persecution is one of the most disturbing, cruel aspects of grouse moor management so Revive was delighted when the campaign to win legal protection for the species was successful. This could prove to be an empty victory however, if the measures are not put in place urgently to pre-empt the open season which begins on 1st August.
“There is a very real threat that unscrupulous land managers will attempt to wipe out the species, which is already in a state of decline, before the law comes into force preventing them from doing so.”
In the debate prior to the new Bill being passed the Minister for Rural Affairs and Natural Environment, Mhairi Gougeon MSP said she would “give careful thought to how any proposed licensing regime will work and to when the protection will come into force”. Campaigners are calling on the Scottish Government to fast track this to prevent unprecedented levels of mountain hare persecution next month.
Robbie Marsland, Director of the League Against Cruel Sports added: "We are deeply concerned that land managers who seek to control hare numbers will feel compelled to take radical action to persecute hares if they have a window of opportunity to do so before the legal protection is enacted.
“It is imperative that the Scottish Government introduces urgent measures to bring forward protected status to 1st August to prevent open season becoming nothing more than a blood bath and industrial cull of this iconic species.”
The Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill passed Stage 3 on 17th June 2020.
Picture owned by League Against Cruel Sports Scotland
