Under consideration PE2252: Grant a statutory closed season for, and regulate high-impact culling of, wild goats in Scotland
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to introduce legislation to achieve:
• establish a statutory closed season for the shooting of wild goats; and
• require that large-scale or high-impact culling operations be subject to an appropriate system of licensing or authorisation.
This is in order to support animal welfare, sustainable population management, accountability in wildlife management, resolve legislative inconsistency, and bring Scotland in line with internationally recognised standards.
Background information
Wild goats can be found in isolated units across Scotland, forming established, free-living populations with recognised cultural, ecological and local/regional economic value.
Historical evidence indicates a substantial contraction in Scotland’s wild goat population, from around 200 recorded locations in the late 19th century to approximately 45 herds today, with a total population estimated at only 4,000 animals. These figures demonstrate an alarming long-term decline of isolated wild goat populations and underline the existential risks of unregulated mass culling.
Currently, wild goats are not subject to a statutory management framework and may be shot indiscriminately, including during pregnancy and lactation while caring for dependent young.
This animal welfare gap is inconsistent with the management of wild deer in Scotland, with defined closed seasons and provisions for licensed control in specific circumstances.
This shortcoming represents a lack of transparency in decision-making.
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