If you thought Scottish Natural Heritage’s decision to licence the killing of 69 ravens in Strathbraan was bad…….
Research by Dr Rob Sheldon has now revealed that from Jan 2015 -July 2018, SNH issued 621 licences permitting the killing of over 4,000 ravens in Scotland.
The shocking details can be found on Rob’s blog (here).
Raptor Persecution UK 
Who’s counting these totals; is there some official who goes out to count the bodies? They’ve probably been killing Ravens for years, licence or no licence!!
Certainly have out here in the Western Isles
I’d like to record my thanks for the peer into the strange world of SNH, whose real world actions do not appear to be in accord with their remit.
Perhaps when SNH become aware of the effect that the number and scale of Raven killing licences have on the population of Ravens in Scotland, they may change tack if it is appropriate, but I do not believe that we can be confident of anything as far as SNH are concerned.
A far as I am aware the Strathbaan cull is only voluntarily suspended. What would this mean for someone being seen to kill a Raven in the area? Another free get out of jail card perhaps, of which Scotland already has too many, courtesy of the Crown Office.
There was a BBC Scotland Out of Doors interview with the CEO of SNH back in July which suggested a suibtle but significant change in their aim to environmentally sustainable economic development. Even Mark and Euan expressed surprise that this seemed to have been a change from protecting the environment.
The sooner these barbarians are brought under proper democratic control the better. Let us hope that the Scottish Parliament’s Grouse Moor Management Group listens to common sense and controls these activities by licencing grouse shooting. The only way to achieve the density of grouse that shooting estates demand; around 200 birds per hectare; is to eleiminate competion, both predators and those that feed on the same things as grouse, i.e. hares. The activity is not conservation, it is a farming enterprise, and a very barbaric one at that.
Be lucky to even get 20, twenty birds per hectare certainly not 200 birds per hectare.
That’s 200 birds per 2.47 acres, you must be joking they would be stacked on top of each other. Be sensible or learn the real facts before you comment! Joke!!
Agree. To paint a picture a hectare is approx 3 football pitches, probably a bit less (100m x 100m) 200 birds would make it look like a free range chicken farm.
When one considers the track record of the group of people carrying out the killing, what multiple of 4000 have actually been killed? I’m sure SNH are keeping a close eye on it.
I find this quite appalling, surely before granting a licence to kill a normally protected species SNH need to be convinced that all other options have been tried and failed. Frankly given the number of licences and the number of Ravens concerned, forgive me but I cannot believe that this has been done. If this has not been done and cannot be proved to have been done then surely licences granted under such circumstances are technically illegal. This shoddy, lazy and probably illegal activity by SNH needs to be challenged immediately.
Whilst we know how many Ravens were licenced for death do we have any sort of figure as to how many were claimed to have been killed?
Hi Paul,
Have a read of Rob’s blog – he gives an estimate of the number of ravens killed under these licences.
https://www.rdsconservation.com/?p=715
Mind-boggling and deeply depressing that through licensing this extensive program of culls, SNH may be bringing on the overall population decline of a large native vertebrate.
The war on our wildlife continues. The right execrable Michael Gove has just authorised the culling of ravens in my county of Wiltshire to “protect sheep and lambs”. I have lived in Wiltshire for 21 years and it took 11 of those years before I saw my first raven in the county. It took another 5 before they showed up in my local patch, ironically named Ravensroost Woods.
If there are more than 200 ravens in the county I would be astonished.
If they will give licences to kill Robins and Wrens they will give a licence to kill anything it seems, you just have to ask…..
http://jasonendfield.weebly.com/home/licence-to-kill-wren-bullfinch-skylark-oyster-catcher-robin40-species-on-natural-englands-death-list?fbclid=IwAR0mynBgZcy97JQ7ntuv-YRP_ccZExFghf5Uc-fcltx3MDvo0C_x05ZhAU0
Whilst in no way condoning the mass slaughter of protected species one must realise that licences to kill robins or wrens etc are most usually birds that are gaining access to food preparation or manufacturing sites despite the best efforts of the owners or operators. Such licences are usually to kill very small numbers often only one and do not bear comparison to the killing of large numbers of protected birds as in the instance of these Ravens or some of the other birds on the list referred to. I myself have rescued/removed or given advice for others to do so in several such instances where the bird has gained accidental entry, such birds often cannot find their own way out and need help.
So by ‘help’ do you mean shot ? Does your explanation also include Skylark, Blackbird, Great Tit, Red Kite, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Ringed Plover etc etc…?
So, just remind me of the reason that this cull extends to robins, larks, bull finches, owls and many others?
Are they a threat too ? If so, to what ?
What excuses will they think up to kill/cull our wildlife once we’re all vegan and have no use for the livestock industry anymore
Than you Dr. Rob Sheldon for putting your head above the parapet and exposing this. Lets hope that more will be encouraged to display the courage and integrity that you have.
This is disgusting. The number killed is mind boggeling. These are intelligent helpful birds…stop killing them. Why do humans believe they can manage everything including wildlife but they can’t manage to stop killing their own planet!! Pathetic bunch of BS these obscene culls!
Yes I have to agree, I have always viewed ravens as birds of great intellect and wisdom. Ironic that they are perhaps more intelligent and wise than those who license and cull.
Well looks as if they could succeed in bottling up the raven population in a way they failed with the buzzard. Oh dear the crime of being a predator not quite on the edge of imminent extinction anymore! At least raven have started moving back into the central belt where there’s a lot less tweed so maybe there’s s hope for them here. There are even rumours of a goshawk pair nearby at very long last. The smelly, industrial Glasgow to Edinburgh corridor, Scotland’s ark?
Les, I’m afraid that the ornithological scene is somewhat out of touch with the recent population trends of Ravens in the central belt of Scotland. During a dramatic population explosion of field voles throughout central and southern Scotland, extending north into the Highlands at least in Argyll to my knowledge, both Buzzard and Raven consolidated a strong breeding population with increasingly large flocks of roving immature Ravens throughout. The expansion southwards of breeding Buzzards into previously sparsely populated parts of England coincided precisely with the same phenomenon, but whether the cause was fuelled by the Scottish voles, or by the extended vole plague, appears to be undocumented. The ‘lazy’ explanation for the great increase in both species is a decline in persecution (usually attributed to RSPB in the media), but although I accept they were partly responsible, the true reason for the expansion and increase was the humble field vole! The period of this enormous expansion in voles commenced around 1990, and was sustained for at least twenty years, ending after 2010. Not only Buzzards and Ravens, but also Kestrels have widely declined since then, and Hen Harriers too to some extent.
As might have been expected, the vole population crash led to a decline in Buzzards but more particularly Ravens. Numbers of the big black birds declined in terms of non-breeding flocks of immatures/non-breeders, with a less severe decline (of approximately 50%) in the overall breeding population. This was believed from my own studies to have been partly caused by reduced food supply, but almost certainly also due to the attention of gamekeepers. Breeding harriers also became more visible during the vole peak, which unfortunately led to gamekeepers paying them even more illegal attention. However in counties like Renfrewshire we are left with a legacy of these halcyon vole days, in the form of a relatively healthy albeit lower population of breeding Ravens and Buzzards. Also as a result of the temporary abundance during these two decades, we now have a legacy of urban and City breeding Ravens. The inner City of Glasgow currently holds at least four breeding pairs of these magnificent large crows.
There is no point in trying to criticise the SNH, they are pawns in the hand of the Scottish government. The same government that has allowed the ruination of the countryside with windmills. A few weeks ago a Green Party MSP put a motion to parliament to vote on the proliferation of hill tracks that were a scar on the landscape. This was defeated by I have no doubt vested interests. Until we get rid of these Victorian estates the problem will continue.
Yes, I concur. Sometimes when I see the letter “N” it reminds me of a four letter word.
Couldn’t agree more
I have written to SNH: Please pass on my amazement that Scottish Natural Heritage issues large numbers of licences to kill ravens. Surely it is not ethical to kill so many ravens, part of our native heritage, to protect mass produced alien birds for ‘sport’? Such hypocrisy! Surely no decent person would enjoy working in your department!
http://jasonendfield.weebly.com/home/licence-to-kill-wren-bullfinch-skylark-oyster-catcher-robin40-species-on-natural-englands-death-list
In return, are you aware of this claim from south of the border? If true it beggars belief why these species are on the list.
Regards
Giles
Sent from my iPhone
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LEAVE OUR WILDLIFE ALONE!!