Nofactor superb about killing wildlife for enjoyable

12 Aug 2026
Nature

There is nothing superb concerning the ‘Glorious twelfth.’

Scotland’s countryside needs to be restored for individuals, wildlife and the local weather, not managed as a playground for bloodsports, say the Scottish Greens.

The Scottish Greens have renewed requires an finish to pushed grouse taking pictures forward of the so-called “Glorious Twelfth”, which marks the start of the crimson grouse taking pictures season.

The celebration’s rural affairs spokesperson, Ariane Burgess MSP, stated the annual taking pictures season is a reminder of the massive areas of Scotland’s countryside that proceed to be intensively managed in order that grouse may be killed for leisure.

This comes as Scotland’s pure panorama has been hit with a collection of devastating wildfires, highlighting the necessity to prioritise land administration for nature restoration over trying to find enjoyable. 

Scottish Greens rural affairs spokesperson Ariane Burgess MSP stated:

“There is nothing superb about killing animals for enjoyable. 

“Grouse reside, sentient animals, not targets for anyone’s leisure. No animal ought to need to endure and die just because anyone thinks killing it makes for time out.

“Their numbers are intentionally stored unnaturally excessive so there are extra birds to shoot. The patchwork we see throughout our hillsides is created by burning land to stimulate new development while hundreds of different wild animals are killed to maintain grouse numbers artificially excessive, simply so extra birds can in the end be shot for sport.

“Scotland has taken vital steps to guard our wildlife in recent times. Parliament has banned merciless snares and glue traps and agreed stronger protections for the way in which our moors are managed.

“But animals can not converse up for themselves, so it’s our duty to do it for them. Without stronger protections, extra harmless and defenceless animals will proceed to be shot and killed merely for another person’s leisure.

“There is nothing sporting about that, and there is certainly nothing glorious about it.”

Ariane added:

“After one other summer time during which we now have seen the large destruction that wildfires may cause, we needs to be restoring our nature and making our countryside extra resilient to the local weather disaster, not intensively managing huge landscapes to provide extra birds to be shot.

“Scotland’s land is certainly one of our best belongings. It needs to be supporting thriving rural communities, restoring nature and tackling the local weather disaster, relatively than serving as a non-public playground for the rich few.

“The real glorious future for Scotland’s moors would be seeing wildlife flourish on them, peatlands restored and rural jobs created through the recovery of our natural environment.”