Report from Chris Smith
New hedgehog cull planned
From BBC Scotland News, 16 th December 2003
A controversial cull of hedgehogs in the Western
Isles of Scotland is to resume in the spring.
Environment quango Scottish Natural Heritage SNH
has also decided to extend the cull from North Uist
to Benbecula and in the following year to South
Uist.
SNH said it has no other option because the
hedgehogs have been eating the eggs of the protected
breeding wader birds which populate the islands.
Animal welfare groups in the Western Isles have
attacked the killings, arguing that the deaths are
inhumane.
SNH chairman John Markland said the decision to
continue the cull had been taken "with reluctance".
He said: "These hedgehogs should not be there.
"They have been moved here by man but they are
causing a devastating impact on the wading birds
there, but we have decided that we must continue
with the cull of hedgehogs."
"We are moving from North Uist to Benbecula
because that is the direction in which the hedgehogs are moving and it's important that we deal with
those areas."
He promised a scientific study into whether the hedgehogs could be relocated and said SNH's position
would be reviewed next year.
Protesters tried to save the animals when the scheme began on North Uist in the summer.
© BBC Scotland News, 16 th December 2003
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