Three quarters of Scots are against grouse moor land management practices like killing predators, a new poll has found.
That is according to the survey commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports for REVIVE, a coalition for grouse moor reform, which collected the responses of 1,940 participants.
Predator control on grouse moors was opposed by 76 per cent of the public, and 73 per cent were against the practice of muirburn – burning moorland vegetation to promote new growth – to enhance grouse numbers.
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Meanwhile, 60 per cent of people surveyed opposed the sport of grouse shooting, with just 13 per cent in support of it.
REVIVE campaign manager Max Wiszniewski said: “Grouse shooting is a sport enjoyed by a tiny minority of Scots, and the public are now strenuously voicing their opposition to a bloodsport which takes over a disproportionate amount of the Scottish countryside, for little economic gain, for the pleasure of just a few.
“These latest figures back REVIVE’s position, even if there is ever any legitimate reasons for predator control or muirburn, increasing grouse numbers for sport is not one of them. The public heavily backs us on this."
It comes ahead of REVIVE's national conference at Perth Concert Hall on November 12, which is hosted by TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham and will feature a speech from Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater.
Mr Packham said: "This conference comes at a crucial time for nature as the Scottish Parliament is deciding how to tackle the biodiversity and climate crisis while grouse shooting continues to exacerbate both.
“Intensive grouse moor management is unsustainable and the Scottish Government seem genuine in their desire to end the killing of Scotland’s birds of prey – a crime commonly associated with grouse shooting.”
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Reacting to the poll, Scottish Land & Estates moorland director Ross Ewing said there has been "ample research" over many years of the opposite view.
He said: “There is considerable public support for shooting, particularly where birds are supplied to the food chain.
“Furthermore, there is widespread understanding, particularly in rural areas, of the social, economic and environmental benefits of grouse shooting and associated land management practices.
“Bird of prey populations in Scotland are at their highest level for generations and incidents of raptor persecution, which are rightly condemned, are very low.”
It comes as the Scottish Government's Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill seeks to implement changes to grouse moor management and the regulation of predator traps in Scotland.
Rural businesses have previously argued the game and country sports sector is worth more than £350 million each year to the Scottish economy and more than 11,000 full time jobs are supported by sporting shooting.
Scottish Land & Estates said plans to license grouse shooting in the Bill would be "disastrous" for moorland estates and rural communities.
But the proposals have been praised by charities like the RSPB, which has called for driven grouse shooting and its management practices to be "properly regulated".
The Stage 1 debate of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill will take place on November 29.
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