SGA warns on Capercaillie second extinction
The Scottish Gamekeepers' Association (SGA) has warned that the rare capercaillie (a large woodland grouse) could be driven back into extinction if predation by pine martens is not brought under control. The species became extinct in Scotland some time around 1785, but was reintroduced after transplants from still extant populations in Sweden in the early 19th century.
The SGA has called upon Scottish Natural Heritage to introduce licences to sanction the control of pine martens, which are one of Scotland's rarest mammal species. Proposed methods of population control include trapping and subsequent relocation or outright culling.
"Predation levels across the board have risen and are now far too high for capercaillie numbers to get above the levels required to be safe. There is little point in wasting public money in creating new habitat (for capercaillie) if you don't control the predators that are eating them" said an SGA spokesman.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
