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Beavers and SNH
Kirsty MacLeod
Founder, People Too
Ardlarach, Letterfinlay, Spean Bridge, Inverness-shire
Filed 12 03 05
Kirsty MacLeod kindly
provided Land-Care with a copy of the letter printed
below which she sent on 10th March to the editor of the Scotsman
Dear Sir,
Chris Paterson (Scotsman, Letters, 9th March 05)
is concerned about the water-borne Giardia parasite which is linked
to beavers and can lead to a debilitating disease. But what about
the potential danger caused by that other parasite, Scottish Natural
Heritage (SNH), who, if they get their way, will be managing the
beaver re-introduction experiment?
This is what one of the high heid-yins at SNH
said in 1997 in response to over a decade of complaints from farmers
that the re-introduced sea eagle was killing lambs:
"We want to discourage the eagles from behaving the way
they have been, not just because of the impact on farmers....but
because they are wild creatures which ought to be eating something
other than lambs". (1)
Of the Red Kite, another re-introduced species,
an in-house SNH magazine stated that "The (Red Kite) feed on
carrion and are not predators" (2).
When challenged on this, a scientist from their Advisory Services
admitted that
"it is clear that red kites do take live prey, both in the
United Kingdom and other parts of their geographical range".
His justification for SNH's misleading statement,
printed in a glossy magazine aimed at the general public, was :
"I have to admit that the SNH magazine has simplified the
dietary picture, perhaps understandable in a magazine that has
a wide, general circulation". (3)
In other words, SNH believes it's perfectly legitimate
to feed the general public false information in order to foster
support for their policies such as re-introduction of species, particularly
if this general support can be used as a lever against the concerns
of those people who will have to bear the economic brunt of the
policies.
And when things go wrong with the beaver? On past
performance, it is fairly safe to assume that the top people at
SNH will once again stall (until a few beaver-related tourist businesses
are set up), go about (slowly) collecting scientific proof, wring
their hands in disbelief when the evidence is presented to them
and then set about trying to modify the beavers' behaviour.
Will the Scottish Executive allow this farce to
go ahead?
Yours sincerely,
Kirsty Macleod
Founder People Too
References
(1) John Thomson, SNH Director of Operations East
in The Herald (10/2/97)
(2) Natural Heritage Magazine
# 11 (Sept 1997)
(3) Dr Andy Douse, Species Group,
Advisory Services, SNH, to K Macleod (19/7/98).
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