New Scottish Parliament Petition Consultation Results
Consultation (01/16/26 to 30/06/26) on the
Draft Scottish Parliament Petion Calling for
A statutory closed season for;
and the licensing of high-impact culling of;
Wild Goats in Scotland.
1 Method
Consultees
60 consultees were chosen as representative of the following sectors (N.B. all landowners within the home range of the Langholm-Newcastleton Goats were included). Each were sent an introductory letter explaining the purpose of the survey (see Annex 6).
Elected Representatives, South of Scotland
Community Groups (3 x Community Councils local to Langholm and Newcastleton)
Animal Welfare
Wildlife Management/Control
Forestry
Nature Conservation
Wildlife Protection
Agriculture
Survey
The online Smart Survey app@smartsurvey.co.uk was chosen as an easy to use and readily available platform for a simple questionnaire survey.
Respondents were deliberately kept anonymous with only the sector the respondent represented being identified.
The online survey was accompanied by a PDF copy of the draft petition (Annex 1).
The questions were intentionally direct and kept to the minimum required.
Do you agree with a closed season on the culling of wild goats in Scotland? Y/N or Unsure
If Y, what closed season dates would you propose?
Do you agree with the regulation of High Impact Culling? Y/N or Unsure
If Y, how would you define High Impact Culling?
Please add any further relevant comments (optional)
Additionally, TWGCT put out a Facebook post stating that the draft petition was published on the TWGCT website https://www.twgct.co.uk and inviting people to comment on its content through the TWGCT email info@twgct.co.uk . There were no structured questions.
Results
Questionnaire Responses Overview
12/60 survey questionnaires were completed (20%).
All sectors except Elected Representative and Community Groups responded (Table 1).
TABLE 1 Response number by sector
SECTOR
No. Responses by Sector (as identified by respondents)
Elected Representatives
0
Community Groups
0
Animal Welfare
1
Wildlife Management/Control
1
Forestry
1
Nature Conservation
2
Wildlife Protection
5
Agriculture
2
Responses to the question 1
“Do you agree with a closed season on the culling of wild goats in Scotland? Y/N or Unsure”
YES =10
No = 1
Unsure = 1
Responses to the question 2
“If Y, what closed season dates would you propose?”
See Annex 2
Responses to the question 3
“Do you agree with the regulation of High Impact Culling? Y/N or Unsure”
Yes = 8
No = 4
Responses to the question 4
“If Y, how would you define High Impact Culling?”
See Annex 3
Responses to the question 5
"Please add any further relevant comments (optional)”
See Annex 4
Website Responses
Four individuals left comments, all were in support of the general purpose of the petition however, none provided any detailed comment on the content of the draft petition.
See Annex 5
Summary
Closed Season
There was very significant support for a “Closed Season”
Of those responses directly commenting on the content of the draft petition, 84% were in favour of imposing a closed season for the culling of wild goats in Scotland. In general, the views were expressed that this should be throughout the kidding season.
Although there was no clear consensus on the exact timings/dates that should relate to a closed season, it did emerge through responses (6/9) that this should include the period post kidding when there are dependent young.
Additionally, it also emerged through responses (6/9) that the late pregnancy period should be included.
All this together might give an effective date range of 1st November to 31st July.
High Impact Culling (HIC)
There was robust support for the control of “High Impact Culling” through regulation [licensing].
Of those responses directly commenting on the content of the draft petition, 67% were in favour of regulating HIC.
Respondents generally used the opportunity to add further details to explore the issues relating to HIC providing considered thoughts aboutalternatives to it. There was a frequently expressed feeling that longitudinal management, targeting the old and ill animals, in any herd is the responsible way to sustainably and sensitively manage wild goat populations.
Although no precise numerical definitions of HIC were given there were frequent references to this being synonymous with “mass culling”.
Other Comments
Generally, respondents used this as an option to further expand on comments already made in the other questions however, new information included the following;
There should be no dispatch of wild goats in front of other animals [herd members].
The need for a management plan.
At higher levels [in authority], wild goats should be recognised as a wild species.
More research is required into the biology and ecological impacts [positive and negative] of wild goats.
Goat management is important for both the herd health and the environment.
Wild goats should be offered the same basic [legal] protections as wild deer, given that there are at least four species of non-native deer living wild in the UK.
ANNEX 2: Responses to Qu 2
Nov – May.
Nov – September.
Breeding and kidding time Oct – June.
Oct – May.
31st December to 31st July closed for females.
Key breeding and kidding seasons.
Breeding and kidding seasons taking into account late born kids.
1st January to 31st December.
Kidding.
ANNEX 3: Responses to Qu 4
“Evidence-based proportionate management not High Impact culling as routine conservation strategy because it unnecessarily decimates long established populations, overlooks the complexity of ecosystem dynamics and places excessive emphasis on forestry objectives and the expense of biodiversity and cultural heritage.”
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“Only take out ill or injured animals not mass culling. Ideally this should be managed all year round in a humane way if injured or ill but best to look at other non-lethal methods to control populations.”
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“Removal of old, injured or ill goats through the year so that no mass culling would be needed.”
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“Should only be old or injured goats culled.”
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Least disturbance is caused by quick decisive action. However, this needs to be balanced and proportionate in line with a landscape scale management plan.”
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“Balanced.”
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“Protecting Population Viability; Regulation can help prevent excessive culling that could threaten the long-term survival of local goat populations. In particular this is important for isolated herds that may have limited opportunities for natural recolonisation safeguarding genetic diversity. Some wild goat populations may contain unique genetic characteristics or historical lineages. Large scale culls permanently remove valuable genetic resources before they are properly assessed.
Improved Decision Making; Regulation can ensure that culling proposals are supported by evidence, population survey and clear management objectives. This encourages a more strategic approach rather than a reactive [population control.
Animal Welfare Considerations; Oversight may ensure that culls are carried out professionally and proportionately and reduces the risk or poorly planned operations causing unnecessary suffering.
Public Confidence; Large scale culls can attract significant public interest and concern. A regulatory framework can increase accountability and transparency.”
“Old ones struggling with life and the sick culled outside of the closed season, recording reasons for the cull and evidence of the cull.”
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“Anything more than careful and selective management of a healthy herd where the old and ill are removed.”
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“Sick and injured animals.”
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ANNEX 4: Responses to Qu 5
“Mass culls should never be allowed as this disrupts the family bonds and disrupts the population for years to come.”
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“There should be no mass culls of goat herds as this disrupts the family groups and proves to be devastating to the herd for years to come. There should be a manager who knows the herds and can remove individuals over the whole year as and when but not females or kids during the breeding season and not dispatched in front of other animals.”
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“Wild goats of Langholm/Newcastleton need to be managed in a kind and humane way, they have been with us for a very long time.”
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“Goat management, as deer management, is important to the herd, to the environment and their longevity, there should be a management plan in place. At a higher level there should be a recognition of wild goats as a wild species, therefore they should be afforded similar basic protection as wild deer given there are at least four species of non-native wild deer in the UK which have such protection under law.”
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“Before any culling there should be more investigation on how wild goats survive, their family groups and their role in the environment they are hefted to. An accurate figure should be kept of the goat population, if possible, nannies, billies and kids. Also, their location should be monitored for the benefit of the goat population survival.”
ANNEX 5: Responses received via TWGCT website
“Please do not cull these Goats unnecessarily.”
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“After photographing the Goats and visiting the moors I’m horrified that there going to cull some of them. They have been here for hundreds of years and in my opinion the land is as much there's as anyone's. Is there anything I can do to help these Goats at this stage?”
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“I support the protection of wild goats”
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“Speaking with locals, I know I am not the only person saddened and angry at the appalling negligence and uncaring attitude of Government,
a government which likes to profess being pro a better and "Green" environment,
yet in their policies nature and conservation, and sensitive ecological systems are not considered when it comes to saving a penny or effort.
The shameless culling, with no protection granted to a wild animal, such as the wild goats in Scotland, is once again proof of the fact that what is being professed as a government with Green policies, is another proof of blatant lies.
If vulnerable animals, whether dogs, cats, foxes, badgers, donkeys, nesting birds, wolves or wild goats are not protected, by us as people, who have been put in charge to look after our world and environment, we will consistently pay the consequences.
We break down ecological systems for financial gain or due to pure neglect and then spend thousands to reinstate what cannot always be reversed, often failing and then retrying to introduce what nature had put there in the first place.
Removing certain animals have over hundreds of years shown the significant impact it can have on our ecological systems, grazing habitats and overpopulation of other animals, plant species, and often smaller details we never thought of or knew until such time as our world is impacted, and scientists discovers that those animals or species we neglected to look after had a greater impact on an ecological system than we realised.
Whether the more obvious impact the lack of wolves, birds of prey or beavers may have, or whether an entire area of land gets overgrown or invaded by something else we cannot stop, or other species dies because we removed an intricate link in that echo system, leaving areas of land of no use, boggy and unfit for any other purpose, an eyesore and a sorry it is too late now..
Apart from looking after the environment, there is another vital fact that is being ignored.
Our duty of care and protection over those that can't protect themselves.
Is compassion and care for vulnerable people or animals not what makes us human?
You may not like goats, we may not see their purpose, the government may not see the need, however, if we profess to be human, to be a people who care, those running and governing the land, turn a blind eye, we are nothing but animals, and liers. Then we are cruel.
Words carry no meaning unless we act upon what we profess.
Dear Sir, Mam, please forgive my harsh language, if driven by passion of care to protect a wild and vulnerable animal.
Leaving any species without our protection, is evil, neglectful and inhumane.
I plea with my fellow citizens that our government will not ignore the sad and terrible plight of our intriguing, unique and special wild goats.
If anything, they live in areas where land is not of much use, they disturb no one and they are in my eyes delightful and art to a canvas we call our world.”
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