McGrigor strikes a blow for Scotland’s iconic Red Deer

Speaking after today securing an amendment to the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill which removes Scottish Natural Heritage's statutory duty to conserve non-native species of deer, Jamie McGrigor MSP Shadow Environment Minister said:

"The aim of my amendment, passed today, was to tackle the well established problem of non-native sika deer, which inter-breed with our native red deer and produce fertile off-spring. While I welcome the fact that refugia for red deer have already been established on some Scottish islands, it is my belief that we have an obligation to do much more to protect the genetic integrity of what is arguably Scotland's most iconic mammal.

"For visitors coming to Scotland, few experiences match the thrill of spotting a stag on the hillside. However the appeal of our tourism product will be markedly lessened if we cannot guarantee that what looks like a red deer is in fact a red deer. Similarly, people come from across globe to stalk and hunt our famous red deer. Again, the appeal of this would undoubtedly be lessened should there be uncertainty about the integrity of the red deer stock.

"When I asked the Scottish Government last year about its aim with regards to sika deer, I was told that its agency, SNH, had a statutory duty to 'further the conservation of deer' and that this applied to all deer in Scotland – including sika and hybrids. My amendment has removed the duty to conserve all deer and has replaced it with a duty to conserve native deer.

"Changing the law today is an important first step on what I hope will be the road to securing the long term future of our native red deer, and I now call upon SNH to bring forward a clear and concrete strategy aimed at furthering the biological integrity of the red deer stock."

Research into this matter was recently carried out by a team of international researchers in Kintyre, and published in the Journal of Animal Ecology in 2009. To quote Professor Josephine Pemberton of the University of Edinburgh, whose lab undertook the research: "It is possible that a new type of deer with new ecological impacts will emerge...The Mongrel of the Glens is a real possibility."

According to the Scottish Government's own figures, sika deer now occupy over 40% of the red deer range.

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