Fury as 18 grey seal cubs are found dead on beach
ANIMAL groups were horrified yesterday after 18 grey seal cubs were found dead on a Shetland beach at the height of the breeding season.
The cubs were found on the small Isle of Whalsay, which lies off the east coast of Shetland’s Mainland.
Police were alerted by workers from Scottish Natural Heritage who were carrying out a seal survey in the area on November 29.
When officers attended, they found 12 dead, grey seal pups on one part of the beach and six on another section of the beach.
Ross Flett, who runs Orkney Seal Rescue, said he was “absolutely horrified,” and added: “This is is one of the most important periods in the breeding season of grey seals.
“It is is the only time they come ashore and they are easy targets and very vulnerable.
Whoever is responsible needs to be brought to justice
“These killings are abhorrent and whoever is responsible needs to be brought to justice. Seals need better protection. Hundreds are killed illegally around Scotland every year.”
In May, a £1,000 reward was offered over the shooting of seals as conservationists declared a new war on fish farmers.
Scottish salmon farmers are particularly being targeted in the new campaign against the shooting of the mammals.
From June 1 until the end of August,it is illegal for fish farmers to shoot Common Seals unless they have a special Government licence.
In April three quarters of Scots surveyed in a poll said they wanted a ban on the illegal killing of seals.
Scotland has internationally-important populations of common and grey seals around its coast.
However, the population of common seals has declined by over 40 per cent in some parts of Scotland over the last five years.
About 39 per cent of the world population of grey seals is found in Britain, estimated at 120,000, and over 90 per cent of these breed in Scotland.
Northern Constabulary have charged a 47-year-old Shetland man in connection with the deaths on the beach. A spokesman refused to say how the cubs were killed.
Police said the man will be subject of a report to the Procurator Fiscal and has been freed to appear at Lerwick Sheriff Court in due course.
