Nature Reserve announce that they are to start culling goats
Tarras Valley Nature Reserve Announcement to Cull Wild Goats
On 22nd September the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve, amounting to 10,500 acres of the Tarras Valley on Langholm Moor, announced that they have estimated wild goat numbers to be between 800 and 900 on their landholding and intend to cull 20% over the next two years in autumn shootings.
Tarras Valley is part of the 30,000 acre upland area known as the Langholm and Newcastleton Hills and it is understood that for centuries there has always been a population of several hundred wild goats roaming this total area.
Under previous management the Buccleuch Estate had undertaken periodic culls to control the overall goat numbers. This spring, Oxygen Conservation who bought 11,400 acres of the Newcastleton hills from Buccleuch, set about a cull to reduce the numbers on their land by over 80%. The extreme nature of this cull and it being in the wild goat breeding season, set off a furore and thousands of local people signed a petition to stop the cull.
Since then, in order to curb the excesses of overzealous landowners wishing to dramatically reduce wild goat numbers, there has been a Scottish parliament public petition calling for these goats to be granted protected status. This petition remains open.
It is acknowledged that wild goats make a positive contribution to the ecology of this upland area by helping to maintain an `open hill` relatively free from rank vegetation and scrubland. In turn, this helps moorland breeding birds such as the Curlew, now a red listed bird of conservation concern. Not only Curlews benefit but also one of the rarest breeding birds of prey in the UK, the Hen Harrier, a speciality of these hills that has led to the area being given international protection.
Many are expressing concerns that this moorland habitat, once rich with an assemblage of piping, bubbling, gabbling and drumming upland birds, is slipping backwards into silent springs without the vibrant calls of Curlews, Peewits, Redshank, Snipe, Golden Plovers or grouse.
The Wild Goat Conservation Trust (TWGCT) wishes to see a self-sustaining, robust and resilient population of wild goats allowed to continue to roam freely across this 30,000 acre area. After all, they were there long before the passion for grouse shooting or the obsession with rewilding were even things.
This particular population of wild goats is of huge cultural and biological significance. They are British Primitive Goats that exist only in the wild or in a few zoo parks. They are directly descended from the goats that first arrived in Britain with Stone Age herds-people and sustained crofting families in Scotland for hundreds of years.
TWGCT does however, recognise that the herd will need to be managed. This management should be science-based, comprehensive and sympathetically undertaken. TWGCT therefore accepts that the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve is acting responsibly and with due diligence. A careful approach is particularly important whilst all landowners and stakeholders work out exactly how best the wild goats can contribute to maintaining the protected biodiversity of this important wildlife area.
David Braithwaite, Chairman of TWGCT said “Whilst we feel that the timing of this announcement is rather insensitive, given the events of this year in connection with goat culling and public petitions in support of the goats, we respect the TVNR action to carefully manage wild goat numbers on their land. However, this continues to emphasise the need for an overarching plan to properly conserve the goats and the granting of their protected status so that these fabulous wild animals can enjoy a secure future in the rugged hills that stretch between Langholm and Newcastleton.”
ENDS
NB the short quote above from the Chairman of TWGCT is not to be reprinted in any other than its complete form nor taken and used out of its context.