Call to phase out ‘inhumane’ guga hunt by working with Hebridean islanders
Summary
Animal welfare groups are asking to gradually stop the annual hunt of young gannets, called guga, on a remote Scottish island. The hunt has been a cultural tradition and a food source for islanders for over 400 years, but activists want the practice to end due to concerns about animal cruelty.Key Facts
- The guga hunt happens once a year on Sula Sgeir, a remote island north of Lewis in Scotland.
- Hunters kill young gannets for food, continuing a tradition that is at least 400 years old.
- Animal welfare groups OneKind and the League Against Cruel Sports want to phase out the hunt through discussions with islanders.
- Protect the Wild, an anti-hunting group, launched a campaign to ban the hunt, including protests and public attention actions.
- Some people involved say the hunt is a serious food-gathering activity done with respect and care to avoid cruelty.
- The hunt is legally protected under UK law because of its long history and cultural importance.
- NatureScot, the agency that issues hunt licenses, may reduce the number of birds allowed to be hunted this year.
- Last year, the hunting quota was cut to 500 birds due to concerns about disease affecting the gannet population.
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