A damning report by the League Against Cruel Sports has been released revealing the shocking extent of wildlife persecution as a result of snaring in Scotland. The report, Blood on the Wire, is a culmination of four years of investigations into snaring practices on estates north of the border. The results show a catalogue of wildlife killing and suffering as well as regulatory system which is failing. Scottish Campaigns Manager for the League, Louise Robertson said, 'The SNP Government's decision not to ban snares when it had the opportunity to implement the necessary legislation to outlaw these cruel traps was seriously misguided. The report claims that regulation has not worked in the past and will not work in the future and suggests that the new measures have yet to be implemented which highlights a distinct lack of commitment from the Government on this matter. In particular the report focusses on two estates - Manderston House in the Borders, and the Cawdor Estate at Nairn. On the latter estate League investigators found evidence to suggest the systematic use of snares to trap and kill mountain hares in an area known as Carn nan Tri-Tighearnan where 16 hares were found in varying states of decomposition. The League believes that the findings on both these estates are illustrative of widespread bad practices on Scottish shooting estates and starkly illustrate why industry self regulation, official codes of practice and legislation that falls short of a complete ban are insufficient to prevent cruelty and stamp out misuse of snares. League investigators also found a poisoned Buzzard on Cawdor Estate. For the full story see http://www.league.org.uk/

BirdLife Malta revealed that the total number of illegal hunting incidences the organisation’s birdwatchers witnessed between September 1 and October 13 was 111 per cent higher than the same period last year. The total number of shot protected birds it received also increased by 162 per cent. BirdLife disclosed its findings in a press conference held today. On a more positive note, the conservation organisation stated that the number of incidences involving hunters shooting at protected species that BirdLife witnessed during the two week Raptor Camp period in September was lower than that observed during Raptor Camp in 2007. The analysis of the data also showed a dramatic decline in incidences of poachers shooting at protected species as Raptor Camp kicked off and an immediate increase after the conservation camp ended. BirdLife Malta said that this figure proved that the strong presence of birdwatchers coupled with police presence in the countryside is an effective deterrent against illegal hunting. BirdLife stated that since the opening of the hunting season on September 1 until October 13, the organisation’s fieldworkers recorded 626 illegal hunting incidences. For the same period last year, the figure was 297 incidents. The image shows a shot Marsh Harrier. For full details see http://www.birdlifemalta.org/view.aspx?id=128

Following a lifetime working in the Highlands, much of this time committed to the conservation of scarce raptors, we are delighted to welcome Roy's latest publication. The Life of Ospreys tells the story of not only the osprey, but of the osprey watcher, following the bird's fortunes in Scotland and seeing its numbers rise from a single pair in the 1950s to close to 200 pairs to-day. It traces the osprey's history in Scotland and throughout the UK. With many personal anecdotes and insights, the book covers the ecology and conservation of the species from pioneering the building of artificial nests, to the translocation of chicks from the Highlands of Scotland to the Rutland Water Nature Reserve in the Midlands. Roy is a longstanding member and former Chairman of the Highland Raptor Study Group. Roy will also speak on the publication in the Derek Ratcliffe Memorial Lecture at the 2009 SRSGs Conference. Full details are available on the Publications page.

A 54 year old oil worker from Aberdeen has become the first person to be convicted under the Nature Conservation Scotland Act, 2004, for the reckless disturbance of nesting White-tailed Eagles on Mull. Alistair Waters of 331 Lee Crescent North, Aberdeen, took photographs of the bird as it flew in an agitated way round the nest site. Waters had pled not guilty alleging that he did not know there was a nest there when he took an early morning walk, despite the fact that there are well placed signs in the vicinity. The nest subsequently failed. For full details see http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/874888

The BBC has carried a story that a growing number of crofters and farmers in the west of Scotland are calling for action amid claims that sea eagles have been preying on lambs. Apparently more than 200 crofters from Wester Ross met conservationists at a meeting in Poolewe. A Skye crofter has suggested it is a huge problem and would like the Eagles removed from the ground - although he did admit that the likelihood of this is very slim. According to the news item a further meeting would be arranged between the crofters, RSPB and SNH. For full details see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7643632.stm There is of course a scheme to compensate crofters and farmers for any losses. There is also a significant body of published research. Sheep farming has become an increasingly marginal activity in the west Highlands and care should be taken in the examination of such claims. It should also be remembered that the economy of Skye and much of the west Highlands benefits greatly from the wildlife interest. Sea Eagle image by David Whitaker and for more images see the Raptor Gallery

The Scottish red kite population is now at its highest level for 200 years following one of the best ever breeding seasons this year, and an ongoing reintroduction project around Aberdeen. The Scottish population now stands at 122 breeding pairs, with the UK population as a whole growing to an estimated 1200 breeding pairs. In north Scotland there were 46 pairs which fledged 82 young. In central Scotland 45 pairs fledged 53 young. In Dumfries & Galloway 30 pairs fledged 53 young, a substantial increase from 21 pairs in 2007. The Aberdeen project is in its infancy though a pair did attempt to breed. For full details see http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.asp?id=tcm:9-198543. Red Kite image by John Anderson and for other images visit our Raptor Gallery.