There’s a great new blog that’s well worth following: UPLAND EXPOSURE
Written by two professional ecologists, the blog offers an insight to the grim reality of upland management in the Scottish Highlands, and has already provided evidence of the disgraceful ‘management’ practices of driven grouse moors, including the erection of mountain hare-proof fences across the moors, ‘designed to split up mountain hare populations making them easier to eradicate because immigration of other hares is stopped’.
This photo is taken from their blog. It’s a ‘stink pit’ (or midden) containing the decomposing bodies of mountain hares. These stink pits are used to attract foxes and other predators, which are then killed in snares and added to the pile of rotting corpses. The photo was taken on the boundary of a grouse moor and forest near Inverness.
The trouble is the judiciary back the land owners and they run a closed shop. Short of another Fench revolution on these soils the status quo will remain.
Thanks for alerting me to “Upland Exposure”, and congratulations to them for creating the blob. Long may continued exposure of ‘poor management’ be published and illustrated along with “raptor persecution” and all other forms of wildlife crime.
Collectively we’ve a critical mass of grassroots community able to be the eyes and ears on the ground (be it Scotland or England), then the network to make best use of the information. Just a shame that the authorities are not as robust in their duties?
Thanks for pointing this out. It is disgraceful. Come on Nicola. Get this Land Reform Bill done now!
I used to pass a “stink pit” frequently in a patch of woodland near Shinfur on the Millden Estate, Glen Esk a number of years back. Everything from deer to mountain hares, corvids and black backed gulls used to get thrown in. They had surrounded it with a collection of branches hacked from the woodland and littered the area with free running wire snares which would catch any scavenger or animal attracted to investigate the smell which was overpowering. I frequently saw a wildcat in this area too. It was an indiscriminate form of killing. A disgrace to both Scotland’s ecology and animals in general. ,
Just more evidence against the ‘untouchables’. Great work all involved in exposing the reality of driven grouse shooting. keep finding them out.
Thanks for bringing awareness about this sponsored eradication of Scottish Wildlife.
Can’t recommend upland exposure enough – what a fantastic antidote to all the bullshite issuing from the mouths of driven grouse shooting supporters. All showed the anomaly of regular pollution of river Nairn being ignored by anglers who instead continue to blame predators for poor fish returns. Big thank you to those behind UE.
I cannot get on to upland exposure any more ,it just puts me onto another upland exposure site ! Anyone else having same problem ?
Don’t know if it’sthe same problem you encountered Brian but yes, for some bizarre reason we are greeted with: This Web page is parked for FREE, courtesy of GoDaddy.com.
Someone nobbled them? Or technogremlins again?
Same here – what has happened?
Yes, I noticed this yesterday and I still can’t access the UE site today. Anyone know what has happened?
Yes Nimby,exactly the same site.
The site is still down/nobbled; shame. RPS: please post again if it reappears.
Worrying that such an excellent site has vanished. I just hope that it can be resurrected, and that they have not been pressurised to stop.
Is there no end to the stupidity of people??
It seems that they may have had a Facebook page as well, but that too has gone! If anyone can shed any light on this…….
Does any one know where this blog has gone or is it just me?
It has been off line for more than as week.
Not just you, I tried to look at it myself and it seems to have mysteriously vanished. Do you think they were radio tagged?
Please stop this cruelty and love our wildlife
XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX, show me who did these things and leave the rest to me, the punishment should fit the crime
It really pains me to say this but I am sure most of the locals know who is doing this and are keeping their mouths shut because they make money from it in some way. The only way I can think of to make them change their ways is to hit them where it hurts, in their wallets. If we ‘wildlife lovers’ get together and boycott those parts of Scotland and England where these despicable practices continue maybe they will see the error in their evil ways and find a more respectable way to live.
Im boycotting Glenshee, Braemar, Royal Deeside, Newtonmore, Kingussie and the Angus Glens already, when I find more offending places they will be added to that list. I really love those places and visit them a lot but that stops now. They are getting no more money from me.