ICABS has renewed an appeal to Coillte to stop allowing hunters to terrorise wildlife in its forests. The call follows reports that wildlife is again being targeted in a County Galway wood.

It is understood that hunters and hounds have been back in Moyode Forest in Craughwell, Co Galway. Their early morning outings are likely to involve cub hunting. Typically carried out ahead of the main hunting season, cub hunting sees hunters bringing inexperienced foxhounds to fox earths and training them to attack, chase and kill young foxes.

Despite being aware of the appalling cruelty of cub hunting and foxhunting, Coillte has continued to allow access to foxhunters.

A Coillte representative has previously confirmed to ICABS that foxhunters "have permission from Coillte to use Moyode wood as well as a number of other properties owned by Coillte in the vicinity for hunting purposes in line with traditional usage."

The young foxes of Moyode Wood are likely to have suffered an appalling fate this month -scared out of their earths by hunters and bitten, mauled and torn apart by hounds. It is entirely unacceptable for Coillte to disregard this suffering being caused to woodland wildlife.

ACTION ALERT

Email "Stop allowing hunters to enter Moyode Wood" to Gerard.Britchfield@coillte.ie,info@coillte.ie,pr@coillte.ie,Mick.Donnellan@coillte.ie

or telepehone Coillte's acting CEO, Gerard Britchfield on Tel: +353 (0)1 2011111