Letter: Hare fallacies

YOUR article (10 January) relating to hare culls in Scotland is inaccurate. Scottish moors can continue to harvest hares without fear of compromising their European conservation status.

Over the years mountain hares have become an important asset for many estates in Highland Scotland. This is because management for red grouse, notably improving habitat and controlling predators, has allowed hare populations to build densities up to ten times greater than seen anywhere else in Europe. Indeed, some moors need to do so in order to enhance and protect the very moorland hares have come to depend on. This issue has been discussed by Scotland's Moorland Forum without major concerns being raised.

When sheep treated with tick killing (rather than attracting) chemicals are present and there are few deer to support the tick population, hare densities have sometimes had to be reduced to suppress viral disease of sheep and red grouse. This ultimately protects the investment in heather moorland upon which both hares, grouse and tourism depend. Similarly, some suppression of hare population densities may be necessary to allow woodland regeneration.

The reported 25,000 hares culled each year has to be considered in the context of a national population of around 350,000. In real terms, any cull representing less than 10 per cent of a population is sustainable.

Allegations of local over-culling have never been quantified and, given the range over which eagles hunt, are unlikely to have consequential impacts on birds of prey. Recent research by Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, SNH and the Macaulay Institute found that the range of the mountain hare had not changed - a sign of a healthy population.

We recognise it is good practice for moorland managers to consider the impact of their actions on their own and neighbouring hare populations. Therefore, we welcome, with some adjustments, the hare closed season contained in the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill.

However, moors must also take account of the need to secure the future of the key driver of the hare population, investment in red grouse shooting.

Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust,

Scottish Rural and Property Business Association,

Scottish Game keepers Association,

British Association of Shooting and Conservation (Scotland),

Scottish Countryside Alliance,

Scottish Estates Business Group,

The Heather Trust