An environmental action group has condemned grouse shooters flying into Dundee.
Extinction Rebellion set up outside Dundee Airport on Friday to protest against people flying into the city to shoot grouse on the local estates.
August 12 marked the beginning of grouse shooting season.
A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion said: “With the climate emergency wreaking havoc on every continent, and biodiversity in the grip of the sixth mass extinction, there are still a few people who consider it sport to shoot wild birds in numbers far in excess of what they could eat.
“Shooting creatures for fun may seem distasteful to most of us, but it is the wider land management that lies behind it that has caused serious ecosystem damage.
“Red grouse are a native bird, part of the natural ecosystem and therefore subject to the usual population-limiting pressures: predation, food scarcity and competition with other creatures.
“Of course grouse shooting supports a few jobs, but these are mostly seasonal and poorly-paid, with the huge sums paid by rich shooters going into rich owners’ pockets, not to local people.
“Scotland’s wild lands could be restored to be so much more: attracting photographers, naturalists, families and local residents wanting to experience nature.”
Who is Extinction Rebellion?
The group formed in 2018 and is devoted to climate action.
It all started when a few founding members assembled on Parliament Square in London to denounce the UK Government.
The group was shocked to find over 1,500 people joined the protest.
Since then the group has expanded and continued to grow.
Thousands of people from across the country now take part in group meets.
But Jake Swindells, director of the Scottish Countryside Alliance, says grouse shooting is important for the environment, wildlife and the economy.
‘Grouse shooting plays pivotal role in the economy’
He said: “The reason that grouse shooting remains so important is that management for grouse creates a perfect environment for a whole range of species, especially ground nesting birds, which are increasingly rare in nearly every other habitat.
“It is not just wildlife that would suffer without the activity and its associated management.
“So too would the livelihoods of many of those that live in remote communities where grouse shooting plays a pivotal role in the local economy, providing a valuable source of jobs and income for local businesses- including pubs and hotels- while underpinning the social life of these communities, and helping to tackle rural isolation.
“XR, and other similar outfits should leave the management of the countryside to those who understand it, instead of endangering rural communities’ livelihoods and threatening biodiversity.”
Conversation