Talking of very, very stupid people….
An article has appeared in the latest edition of the Shooting Times & Countryside Magazine that once again repeats the ludicrous notion that gamekeepers on Scottish grouse moors are a force for good as far as eagle conservation goes, and suggests that accusations to the contrary are ‘unfair’.
We’ve provided a PDF of the article here: Eagle-eyed keepers Shooting Times March 2014
Really? How many times do we have to go over this? The evidence is there for all to see. These continuous denials just serve to further entrench positions and frankly make a laughing stock of those pumping out this clearly inaccurate guff.
So, let’s lay out the facts once again for the benefit of those new to the issue.
Scotland’s golden eagle population is not ‘stable’. On a superficial level it appears to be stable, but the overall population figure (estimated at ~430 pairs, give or take a few) masks some very big differences in regional abundance. For example, there has been a substantial increase of golden eagles in the Western Isles over the last ~20 years, largely thanks to a reduction in illegal persecution in that region. In contrast, there has been a significant decrease in the number of golden eagles in the central, eastern and southern uplands (hence all those vacant territories), thanks largely to illegal persecution on driven grouse moors. That is a fact, backed up by a suite of scientific peer-reviewed studies. That’s why the population appears to be ‘stable’ – because all the losses in the east are being counterbalanced by the gains in the west. We’ve blogged about this in greater detail here.
The golden eagle in Scotland does face a variety of threats or potential threats, including afforestation and the construction of wind farms. We don’t dispute that. However, the main scientific report on this issue has shown that the single biggest threat to golden eagles in Scotland is illegal persecution on driven grouse moors. That is a fact, backed up by scientific peer-reviewed evidence (see link above).
The article says: “Unfortunately, even in recent times, a handful of Scottish golden eagles have been found dead as a result of poisoning“. What the article fails to say is that the majority of those poisoned birds have been found on driven grouse moors. And not only poisoned, but shot and trapped as well. In addition, plenty of satellite-tagged golden eagles have ‘disappeared’ – unsurprisingly their last signals emitted from driven grouse moors. Oh, and it’s more than ‘a handful’. Our latest count is 31 eagles in 7 years, either illegally persecuted or mysteriously ‘disappeared’, with the majority of them on driven grouse moors (see here). And those are only the birds we know about because the majority of them were wearing satellite tags. How many more are being killed that we don’t know about? Plenty more if you look at the population figures and the rather telling ‘gaps’ in distribution.
The article says it is “unfortunate and unfair” to blame sporting estates when these illegally-killed eagles are discovered on, er, grouse moors. It is neither unfortunate nor unfair. The blame is fairly and squarely put at the feet of those involved with grouse moor management based on decades of scientific evidence. The link between driven grouse moors and raptor persecution (not just of eagles but of several raptor species) has been clearly established as this suite of scientific papers demonstrates (see here for a recent blog on this).
The article cites the SGA’s recent claims of ’55 active eagle nests on keepered grouse moors in eastern and central Scotland’ as evidence that golden eagles are doing just fine on driven grouse moors. We blogged about that claim here. We also blogged about the Scottish Raptor Study Group’s research into that claim (see here). Here’s part of what we wrote:
“According to the SGA, there are ‘at least 55 active golden eagle nests’ in these ‘keepered grouse areas’; the SRSG is saying that there are 52 ‘active nests’ in the area, and of those 52, only 8 are on driven grouse moors. Crucially, the SRSG also includes information about the vacant golden eagle territories in the area – information that the SGA conveniently ‘forgot’ to include. According to the SRSG, there are an additional 57 ‘non-active’ golden eagle nests in this area, and 31 of them (54%) happen to be on driven grouse moors.
Hmm. The picture doesn’t look quite so rosy now, does it?”
The article goes on: “It is interesting to note that eagle numbers are highest in eastern Scotland, where grouse moors are actively managed“. Er, no, they’re not. Try looking at the scientific data (see here especially) and pay particular attention to territory occupancy rates:
Western Isles = 91%
Western Highlands = 89.5%
Argyll West & Islands = 81.5%
Central Highlands = 48%
Cairngorms Massif = 42.4%
North East Glens = 17.6%
Also pay particular attention to the map which shows the species’ conservation status across Scotland. You’ll find that the golden eagle only has favourable conservation status (green colour on the map) in three of sixteen regions, and those three regions are nowhere near the driven grouse moors of the eastern and central uplands.
This incredible article finishes with this: “The fact remains, however, that far from being the purveyor of poison and pole traps – so often portrayed in the popular press – the 21st century moorland keeper is probably the golden eagle’s staunchest ally“. Aye, right.
You carry on chucking out this fantastical image of the raptor-friendly moorland keeper and we’ll keep publishing the facts which show that the majority of them are anything but.
Raptor Persecution UK 
For someone not familiar with the facts, the article is quite convincing.
As with you rps, I will not stop, at any oppertunity, to make public that these driven grouse moors, their owners and keepers are systematically destroying our birds of prey and other wild life both protected and not.
I would say that this article is one of the best pieces of UTTER FICTION I have ever read. Unfortunately somebody will believe it and I suppose thats all the Shooting Times want, and as for the Moorland keepers being the Eagles staunchest ally, it’s enough to make you cry with laughter. God I need a strong glass of Malt. What a load of crap.
Have to agree with Ernie’s comment, the sad fact is the twenty plus thousand readers of that magazine will be left in no doubt that everything is hunky dory. Thankfully sales of the magazine are falling as perhaps readers are becoming more savvy or probably sick of reading the same old garbage, if ever the RSPB and the RSPCA became non existent Alasdair Mitchell would struggle to have anything to whinge about, apart from trying to make out gamekeepers are the fourth emergency service I cant recall him writing anything constructive.
Couldn’t help myself to quote this “ To this day Highland clan chiefs wear only the feathers of the Golden Eagle in their bonnets, an unquestionable symbol of rank and authority.
Few creatures in the natural world can match its prowess”
What better reason is there for having this bird as a national bird. I did hear someone from SNH mention the Red Grouse as the national bird, how interesting it would be trying to explain to a coach full of tourists that on august the twelfth every year you allow lots of rich foreigners to come over and blast thousands of your national birds out of the sky, stand up and take a bow the person who said that, obviously more public money going down the drain
You’ll find that such magazines never refer to published studies on raptors. Its all about propagating myths,hysteria and in many cases blatent lies
I feel sorry for them, there was a time when deflection worked, it’s such a shame they haven’t evolved to the point where they can look at all the facts, progress them, see a problem and work on a solution. Lack of evolutionary process often leads to extinction something those who can see the bigger picture are already worried about.
Received thismorning Tuesday 25th March:
Dear Jonathan,
The e-petition ‘Licencing of upland grouse moors and gamekeepers.’ signed by you recently reached 10,424 signatures and a response has been made to it.
As this e-petition has received more than 10 000 signatures, the relevant Government department have provided the following response: The Government is aware of incidences of illegal killing of birds of prey and Ministers take the issue very seriously. To address this, senior Government and enforcement officers in the UK identified raptor persecution as a national wildlife crime priority. Raptor persecution is subject to a prevention, intelligence, enforcement and reassurance plan led by a senior police officer through the Raptor Persecution Delivery group. The National Wildlife Crime Unit, which is funded by the Government, monitors and gathers intelligence on illegal activities affecting birds of prey and provides assistance to police forces when required. Shooting makes an important contribution to wildlife control and conservation, biodiversity and to the social, economic and environmental well-being of rural areas, where it can provide a supplement to incomes and jobs. The overall environmental and economic impact of game bird shooting is therefore a positive one and it has been estimated by the industry that £250 million per year is spent on management activities that provide benefits for conservation. When carried out in accordance with the law, shooting for sport is a legitimate activity and our position is that people should be free to undertake lawful activities. There are no current plans to restrict sport shooting in England. This Government encourages all shoot managers and owners to ensure they and their staff are following recommended guidelines and best practice to reduce the chances of a conflict of interest with birds of prey. We acknowledge that crimes against birds of prey are abhorrent but it should be noted though that, despite instances of poisoning and killing of birds of prey, populations of many species, such as the peregrine falcon, red kite and buzzard have increased. While a small minority is prepared to kill birds of prey, and where possible these people are brought to justice, this demonstrates that the policies in place to conserve these species are working. This e-petition remains open to signatures and will be considered for debate by the Backbench Business Committee should it pass the 100 000 signature threshold.
Two sentences particularly struck me, in the light of the emptiness of our barren uplands and its cause:
“Shooting makes an important contribution to wildlife control and conservation, biodiversity and to the social, economic and environmental well-being of rural areas, where it can provide a supplement to incomes and jobs. The overall environmental and economic impact of game bird shooting is therefore a positive one and it has been estimated by the industry that £250 million per year is spent on management activities that provide benefits for conservation.”
Really?
Burning peatlands and creating destructive drainage that contribute to flash flooding, and shooting everything that moves makes an important contribution to conservation, contributing benefits to the local economy ???
Did I miss something here ?
I’ve never heard a more meaningless justification of why it’s a good thing to keep the landed rich politicians and their cronies in the lifestyle to which they’ve become accustomed.