Campaigners are demanding an outright ban on the use of lethal snares after the aftermath of a badger’s slow, agonising death was caught on film.
The badger shown here was caught in a trap, which remains around its abdomen despite the desperate animal somehow tearing it from its anchor on the ground. It is believed to have endured a long painful death before being found in a wood in Lanarkshire in recent weeks.
The League Against Cruel Sports believes such suffering is a common occurrence and is demanding that the Scottish Government looks at an outright ban on snares as part of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill, which is being considered at Parliament now. Robbie Marsland, the League’s director, said all snaring should be banned, given that even legal use of snares can be seen to cause huge suffering.
He said: “Although we can’t be clear of the exact circumstances surrounding this badger’s death, what is in absolutely no doubt is that this animal suffered a slow, painful and traumatic death. The last hours and possibly days of this creature’s life would have been spent in fear and agony as it tried to free itself from a primitive, indiscriminate trap before eventually succumbing to its injuries.
“No amount of regulation will stop snares from being cruel and indiscriminate traps which is why only a ban will stop animals suffering. This footage, which shows a scenario which is perfectly legal under the existing regulations, proves that regulating snares is simply regulating cruelty.”
He added: “The Scottish Government’s Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill is an opportunity to rid our countryside of these deadly traps once and for all. The Government has explored this issue several times in recent years but always stopped short of an outright ban. Now is the opportunity to be bold and put animal welfare first.
“The scope of the Bill has the potential to end a number of unpalatable practices which go on in our countryside to sustain sport shooting such as the use of stink pits to lure unsuspecting animals into deadly traps. This type of activity has no place in modern society and we hope as the Bill progresses these opportunities won’t be missed.”
The snaring took place on moorland near Coulter, Lanarkshire, on high ground between Turkey Hill and Knowe Dod hills. Dr Elspeth Stirling, of the Scottish Badgers group, said she has been made aware of many instances where snares have been illegally used to trap badgers.
She added that badgers are strong animals, which will fight hard to escape, resulting in severe injuries where the wire noose cuts through skin and muscle tissue. She said: “They are often left to endure prolonged agonies, pain and a lingering death. Scottish Badgers has attended several incidents in recent years where multiple snares were used year after year to trap badgers.
“Snare users have had decades to demonstrate a willingness to do the right thing by avoiding positioning snares where badgers are present but they stubbornly resist. Banning their use and manufacture outright is the only option”.
The current law allows snares to be used by landowners but compels them to make regular checks to ensure there is no large beast caught on the trap that might suffer. Such a provision fails to protect any animal that might drag the snare away to another location.
Snares are often set around “stink pits”, where carcasses of dead animals are buried, attracting foxes which are then caught in the snares. Scottish Government officials last week gave Stage 1 evidence on the Bill, which has the potential to ban snares, among a wide raft of measures.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Scotland has some of the most robust legislation to regulate the use of snares in the whole of the UK. We understand many are concerned by their use and would like to see them banned on animal welfare grounds.
“Our recently introduced Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill aims to end the persecution of birds of prey, ban the use of glue traps for rodents, and tighten regulations for the use of other types of wildlife traps. A review assessing whether snaring should be banned in Scotland has been completed and the findings are being considered. In order to allow sufficient time for analysis of this review to take place we intend to introduce provisions on snaring at Stage 2 of the Bill.”
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