'We must get right to stop ravens killing our sheep'
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A farmer who lost 40 lambs in raven attacks is backing a new petition to take the birds off the protected species’ list and allow livestock owners to shoot them without having to obtain a special licence.
Les Ritchie said her flock at Achaguie Farm, Scotscalder, was left devastated by the birds last year.
She is supporting an online campaign launched by offshore worker Danny Bisset, from Reay, who shoots as a hobby.
His petition – addressed to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and RSPB Scotland – calls for the birds to be shot on a general licence and has received 420 signatures so far.
Mrs Ritchie said her farm was granted a special licence but that she is only allowed to shoot two ravens in a period of two months, which she claims is ineffective.
Having already lost several lambs this year to raven attacks, she said farmers needed to be given more power to protect their livestock.
Mrs Ritchie said: “The ravens attack the sheep in swarms and have even attacked our sheepdogs.
“They catch hold of the lamb’s tail and will hold it until it drops, then attack its eyes, tongue and back passage.
“The attacks are so vicious – they only leave the skin, spine and head of the lamb.
“It is a ridiculous situation that swarms of ravens are rounding up these sheep and killing them.
“This is our living and we need more power to stop this happening.”
Mr Bisset has received reports from two farmers in Caithness who have had livestock killed in raven attacks.
One said he lost six ewes in the space of 14 days, which led to the deaths of unborn lambs.
Another farmer found two one-week-old lambs with their tongues removed and bottom jaws missing.
Mr Bisset said the support he had received for the petition highlighted the problems farmers faced.
He said: “I’ve seen first-hand the brutal way in which ravens stalk a field of in-lamb ewes, waiting for the opportune moment when an ewe goes down to lamb.
“The ferocity of these birds is such that they will pull unborn lambs out from the attacked ewe.
“Flocks of up to 30 ravens have been seen to swoop on mothering ewes, with twins normally, splitting a twin from its mother and holding it by the tail until it eventually goes down.
“This has a tendency to draw the ewe to the dead lamb, with the outcome that she is also overcome by the birds.”
RSPB conservation and communication officer Stuart Benn said special licences were available from SNH if farmers could prove ravens posed a threat.
However, he said the RSPB would be against any proposal to shoot ravens without a licence as they were on the protected species list.
“This has been a contentious issue with crofters and farmers for a long time,” he said.
“There is provision that you can get a licence to shoot ravens from SNH if it can be proved people are suffering agricultural loss.
“A number of licences are handed out every year in Scotland. But there is a difference between suffering economic loss and allowing blanket shooting of ravens without a licence.
“The system does help livestock owners who are genuinely suffering.”
A spokesman for SNH said: "We are aware of this petition and of the interest in adding Ravens to the birds which may be killed under the General licence.
"The list of species’ which can be controlled in this way is something which we keep under regular review.
"We are due to hold a consultation on General Licences later this year and following the outcome of that process, we will consider what changes, if any, are required for the general licences.”
