Killing ravens

Email to Mike Cantlay, Chair of Scottish Natural Heritage on why I think SHN should withdraw the licence: chair@snh.gov.uk

There are some great responses, such as this by Chris Packham, by RSPB and by Onekind. There are petition sites too but the real value is in personal letters...

Dear Mr Cantley

You will have received many objections to your proposed cull of ravens. The objections will have set out the evidence that demonstrates why your plans are wrong, immoral and unworthy of your organisation. I do not intend to repeat all the details of those objections but to simply add my signature to those objections.

You are clearly pandering to bigoted populism stirred up by the likes of the Daily Mail and The Scottish Farmer rather than considering the research into wader decline by academics which has shown no link with ravens.

Furthermore, the whole notion that “Ravens kill for fun” trumpeted by The Scottish Farmer would, if it were true, suggest agreement that ravens are sentient beings, which of course they are. If you think it is right to kill sentient beings for their actions then I can only assume that at some point are you going to suggest a cull of the businessmen who kill grouse for fun. I look forward to the Daily Mail headline when you make that suggestion.

I urge you to reconsider your plans, they are short sighted and not based on evidence. They are unkind. Should you truly wish to protect wildlife in Scotland then you would turn your sights on climate change, over fishing, and nature hating activities such as grouse shooting.

Yours sincerely

Stuart Jeffery