SGA Chairman lies about gamekeeper involvement in illegal raptor persecution

Channel 4 News featured a report this evening about the illegal persecution of raptors on Scottish grouse moors. The report included interviews with SRSG member Logan Steele, RSPB Scotland’s Head of Investigations Ian Thomson, and Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association Chairman Alex Hogg. Astonishingly, Alex Hogg denied that gamekeepers were involved with the poisoning, shooting and trapping of raptors. It’s hard to fathom why he would tell such a blatant lie when there is ample evidence that destroys his claim. Indeed, the SGA recently confirmed that three of their members were expelled following their convictions for raptor persecution (see here). Mr Hogg’s disappointing attitude undermines the credibility of the PAW Scotland Raptor Group, a committee on which both the SRSG and the SGA serve, with the purported objective of clamping down on those who commit illegal raptor persecution offences. Mr Hogg also put forward a proposal for raptor culling on grouse moors ‘when raptors become a problem’. For further information on the news report see here and here.