BADGER STRANGLED IN SNARE, DONNOTTAR, STONEHAVEN
When Trijnie van-der-Meuien (a Dutch lady now resident in Scotland) went looking for her missing pet cat at Dunnottar, Stonehaven, Scotland on Saturday 24th April, 2004 she came across the horrific site of a badger strangled by a snare just a few hundred metres from her cottage. Police Wildlife Liaison officer, PC McKinnon was called and is investigating.
The snares are being set by gamekeepers for foxes on a shooting estate run by the Hon. Charles Pearson, who is the brother of the landowner, Viscount Cowdray of Cowdray House, Midhurst, West Sussex - one of Scotland's largest landowners.
In February of this year, Viscount Cowdray asked for all snares to be removed from his Sussex estates following numerous instances where badgers have been caught in snares. The latest being a snared badger that had been clubbed to death in November 2003 on a shooting estate also run by his brother, Charles Pearson, at Cocking, West Sussex.
The incident at Donnottar comes just weeks after the Environment and Rural Development committee of the Scottish Parliament voted not to ban snares, despite evidence that Scotland is one of the worst areas for snaring in the UK - mainly because of its extensive grouse moors.
Diary of Those Who Found The Snared Badger
August 2003
Several badly maintained snares removed and brought to attention of syndicate members and Police Wildlife Liason Officer (WLO). The WLO sees no reason to investigate.
24 April 2004
Found dead badger in snare. Informed WLO, who finds several badly maintained snares and decide to investigate further.
26 April 2004
Another badger is found snared by syndicate member. This one is released alive with assistence of local vet.
27 April 2004
All snares seemed to be removed from area.
Posted: 27.04.2004
