Glenisla owner attacks deer cull plans

A SCOTTISH landowner has hit out at Scottish Natural Heritage over the proposed slaughter of 700 female deer and calves this week.

The killings have been requested on three plots of land in the Angus glens, and Major John Gibb, who owns the Glenisla Estate, said the figures were too high.

SNH has told the landowners they are required to destroy the deer themselves.

Major Gibb said: “Given the harsh winter and the effect that continued snowfall has had on recent conditions, reducing deer numbers by almost 700 simply won’t be possible. I don’t feel SNH is being realistic – we feel the numbers of deer have
already been reduced enough.”

An SNH spokesman said: “We have certainly seen a positive change in habitats to coincide with the reduction of deer numbers. Monitoring … has shown habitat degradation has not
increased over the last decade.”