Meeting of the Parliament 08 November 2016
I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate and I thank Graeme Dey for relaunching the initiative, which I hope that all MSPs will eventually sign up to. I also echo the thanks to Scottish Environment LINK, because it is fantastic to see such a good turnout for the debate and to hear all about the species that other members represent.
I have to say that the peewit, as described by Johann Lamont, has a special place in my heart, because it lies at the heart of my constituency in the Mearns and was written about so elegantly in “Sunset Song” by Lewis Grassic Gibbon. That is a special species to me.
The campaign is very important. There are so many species out there that need individual focus and promotion in the Parliament and among the wider public, because we must protect the natural habitats of the animals, plants and flowers that make up the incredible, diverse and unique environment that we have in Scotland.
It will take a lot of work to hold on to some of those species—probably none more so than the species for which I am champion: the hen harrier. Some members might have been exceptionally lucky to see a hen harrier, in which case they are in a privileged and tiny minority, but I imagine that most members have at least heard of the hen harrier, and chances are that what they have heard has not been positive.
The hen harrier is one of the most spectacular birds in Scotland. It is a beautiful, agile hunter, which is often referred to as a sky dancer because of its elegant and acrobatic flight. It is a medium-sized raptor that feeds on small mammals and birds, and it can be found in upland heather moorland during the breeding season and in lowland farmland in winter.
Hen harriers may be found across the UK, but over the past couple of decades they have become an increasingly rare sight. Between the previous two surveys to determine their numbers, in 2004 and 2010, the population was found to have fallen by 22 per cent, to 525 pairs. In the north-east of Scotland, where my constituency sits, the population peaked at 28 pairs in the 1990s, but in 2014 there was only one. The hen harrier is red listed; it is a UK bird of conservation concern.
What has caused such a significant decline? Predation of eggs and chicks, bad weather and food shortage contribute to unsuccessful breeding attempts, but one of the biggest threats is illegal persecution. The hen harrier is one of the most intensively persecuted raptors in the UK, and persecution has persisted even though it has been illegal since 1954.
What can we do now? We have to do what we can to protect endangered species that are particular to our country. That is why I support the RSPB’s life project, which is helping to protect hen harriers through satellite tagging, improved monitoring and nest protection.
In its manifesto, the Scottish National Party committed to accepting the recommendation of the wildlife crime penalties review group to introduce tough new maximum penalties for people who commit crimes against wildlife. The SNP also promised to set up a wildlife crime investigation unit in Police Scotland. I hope that that will have an impact.
The hen harrier is not the easiest species to champion. The work will not be easy, but I hope that we will start to see positive results.
17:52