Prickly incomers prompt call for change in law
By James Freeman, Environment correspondent in the Herald 4 th August 2001
A change in the law to stop non-native species being introduced into fragile environments such as the Western Isles is being suggested by RSPB Scotland which is working on the Uists and benbecula to stop birds being eliminated by hedgehogs.
The timing is right, since the Scottish Executive has pledged that wildlife law in Scotland will be strengthened, although many conservationists fear that what was an article of faith when Sam Galbraith was environment minister may have been downgraded to the status of a desirable, but distant, policy since the environment ministry was scrapped.
Lloyd Austin, head of policy at RSPB Scotland said: 'If it is sensible to exclude non-native species from the UK as a whole (under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981), it would also appear sensible to protect the special wildlife on out islands.'
There is plenty of precedent. The island of Rum has a by-law which forbids the releasing of alien deer species, such as sika, to prevent interbreeding with the native red deer herd. And when Loch Momond got its by-laws five years ago, it became illegal to introduce non-native fish species.
The RSPB's research after the first wader breeding season since the Uists hedgehog project was established a year ago has proved the predation levels by hedgehogs.
Dr Digger Jackson, RSPB officer on the islands, says that in the fenced areas where the hedgehogs were excluded the nesting success of the waders was more than 50 % higher than in adjacent areas.
The hedgehogs are non-native to the Uists and Benbecula. They are believed to have arrived when a resident brought two back from the mainland in 1974. There is now a population of 5,000 adults.
Meantime, dunlin numbers have fallen 65 %, ringed plover by 57 %, redshank by 40 %, snipe by 43 %, and lapwing by 43 %.
© The Herald, 4 th August 2001
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