Canvassing for Scottish SPCA support

This morning the following email was sent to the Scottish SPCA in the hope they accommodate Sheep! We eagerly await their response Sirs, The Common Raven is responsible for an untold amount of sheep losses throughout Scotland – FACT. The 650 Farmers, Countrymen and Women who have already signed the change.org petition to the RSPB and Scottish Natural Heritage are not wrong! With countless firsthand accounts, evidence and testimony of those who have witnessed this in the field, I am looking to you the Scottish SPCA for your support and add your weight in bringing a change to both SNH and the RSPB’s position’s. Possibly one of the most illustrative photos I’ve received in connection to the campaign to have Ravens added to the Scottish Natural Heritage’s General Licence for the prevention of serious damage to livestock; this was sent to me by Murdo Macdonald from the Isle of Lewis, Murdo explained whilst working gathering for a neighbour along the shoreline on a peninsula called Point. he heard a faint bleating, his eye was drawn to a small white moving spec. On looking closer this photo is what he witnessed. Murdo went on to explain the ewe was “peeled open, stomach eyes, udder and back.” He goes on to explain that one of the twins was “completely stripped; at or during birth. The amazing thing of the awful situation was that they had not killed the second twin who was suffering from a chunk of skin missing from between its eyes.” The above is one account of hundreds from this year’s lambing season. This is a single photo; but echoes the situation sheep farmers throughout Scotland face daily. This however falls short depicting the full extent of the situation in that this ewe is dead. It is all too often found that the ewe will continue to live in distress with eyes tongue entrails and often unborn lambs removed, until found and dispatched by the owner. This is an ever increasing issue; due to the breeding rates of the Common Raven and lack of any effective natural predator, furthermore this issue one which the RSPB could easily play a part in resolving by supporting the addition of the Common Raven to the General Licence. I would implore you; the Scottish SPCA to get behind the change.org petition to have the Common Raven added to the SNH General Licence and offer any other weight you can to the campaign. I would further urge SNH in the interim to make immediate changes to the permitted number of Raven on a Cull Licence, reflective of the size of flock being reported and seek a broader input with regard to the 2017 review of the General Licence. Any response or position statement the Scottish SPCA could offer would be most welcomed.