Scottish government say starving St Kilda sheep are wild but brand wild goats as feral!
Langholm-Newcastleton wild goat branded feral and invasive by Scottish government
In the upset over starving Soay sheep on the St Kilda islands, the Scottish government has rebutted calls by vets for their sustainable management by saying they are wild animals and are protected under statute.
Yet, in its objection to the public petition calling for the protection of the wild goats of the Langholm and Newcastleton Hills in the South of Scotland, the Scottish government has branded the goats as feral, non-native and invasive.
David Braithwaite, Chairman of The Wild Goat Conservation Trust suggested that the government needs to sort out its muddled thinking. “There appears to be scant regard for the broader ecology of the islands in the face of over grazing by the non-native sheep that are now starving. Whereas we are working to better understand how the wild goats of the Langholm and Newcastleton Hills can continue to make a positive contribution to the biodiversity of this upland landscape where they have roamed for centuries.” Mr Braithwaite concluded.
It has long been accepted by conservation authorities that the Langholm-Newcastleton goats are of particular importance. Back in 2011, the Scottish nature conservation agency stated that
“... ensuring both the survival and genetic integrity of the Langholm-Newcastleton goat as a distinct population will require recognition, protection and sympathetic management ...”
14 years on, TWGCT is asking why this has still not happened and continues to press for this long overdue and important action.
Gail Brown, TWGCT Vice-Chair and Secretary said “Not only have we seen landowners Oxygen Conservation culling wild goats this year but now Tarras Valley Nature Reserve has started a cull. Uncoordinated management of the goats in this way threatens their existence.”
“We are calling for an overarching science-based Herd Conservation Management Plan covering the full 30,000 acres of uplands. The only way to compel landowners to cooperate in long-term sustainable herd management is to grant these important goats protected status.”
The public petition [PE2151] calling for these goats to be granted protected status is under consideration by the Scottish parliament. Although having already amassed over 13,000 signatures the petition remains open for concerned people to sign in support of wild goat conservation.
Photo by Nicola Hood