Chris Packham claims Scottish countryside ‘trashed by country set’

Chris Packham has accused Scotland’s “country set” of trashing the countryside and allowing birds of prey to be killed with impunity.

The conservationist said he was amazed by the lack of prosecutions over the deaths of golden eagles and hen harriers. He accused landowners and gamekeepers of having “a vested interest in this wickedness” and called for moorlands to be rewilded.

The BBC Springwatch host’s comments prompted a backlash from rural campaigners, who said he held “deeply prejudiced views” about shooting estates and the communities they support.

“I love Scotland,” Packham told The Herald newspaper. “It’s the wildlife capital of the UK with so many beautiful, sexy species. But we’re killing eagles, burning moorlands and damaging that rich environment. Large parts have been trashed by the country set.

“Those grouse moors are not serving Scotland well. They do massive reputational damage. Glen Coe could be the Yellowstone of the UK. It has the natural structure but its current contrived landscape is not for wildlife.”

The 62-year-old criticised the number of birds of prey killed in Scotland and the tiny number of prosecutions brought. The RSPB claimed in September that at least 71 birds had vanished with their tags destroyed since 2017. The charity said it was liaising with Police Scotland on a number of “disappeared bird” cases.

Packham said rural bodies such as the Countryside Alliance, the Moorland Association and the Scottish Gamekeepers Association “all deny this is a serious issue” but claimed it was “wilful blindness on their part”.

“The amount of killing that goes on is unbelievable. Golden eagles in the Angus Glens and, staggeringly, these crimes are taking place in the Cairngorm National Park,” he said.

He also appealed for Glen Coe to be rewilded, adding: “Much of Glen Coe was covered by trees, making it a far richer habitat for wildlife and native species. Now much of it just looks barren.”

Ross Ewing, director of Moorland at Scottish Land & Estates, claimed the television presenter was pushing a poorly informed and flawed narrative. 

“Mr Packham’s comments provide more evidence of agenda-driven hostility towards grouse moor management, with little knowledge of what is actually happening on the ground. He also erroneously conflates moorland at Glen Coe with moorland managed for shooting.”

Jake Swindells, director of Scottish Countryside Alliance, said: “Nearly all species of raptor are at historic population highs. The Countryside Alliance and partners have zero tolerance of persecution. Chris Packham holds deeply prejudiced views about shooting and the rural community.”

The Moorland Association said it condemns “any form of wildlife crime” and supports the prosecution of anyone found to be involved.