Letter: Hare protection

THE "hare fallacies" letter (13 January) may impress because of the seven organisations that sent it. A flawed argument should be rejected, however, no matter who made it. The senders assert that your article on culls "is inaccurate", but fail to specify the inaccuracy. They assert that hares can continue to be "harvested", a singularly inapt term where killing makes hares scarce.

Your article (10 January) quoted from a scientific paper revealing no compelling evidence that culling hares will increase grouse stocks. The seven bodies omit any mention of this impartial assessment, doubtless because it refutes their argument.

They claim over-culling has "never been quantified". My counts show massive declines on many moors since 2000. Gamekeepers say they were instructed to cut hare numbers and an Inverness-shire owner admitted in the press hare reduction.

The letter mentions a survey showing that the hare's range has not shrunk. This is beside the point. Heavy killing has made hares scarce on many moors. Hares still abound in a few places without such killing. Scottish Natural Heritage, the Cairngorms National Park Authority and ministers could end this unacceptable land stewardship and associated illegal persecution of protected raptors by monitoring, legislating, licensing and banning all taxpayers' money to offending estates.

(DR) ADAM WATSON

Crathes

Banchory