"The SGA has an unequivocal stance on wildlife crime. It has demonstrated this in action, removing 8 members in the last 7 years for wildlife crimes.
“However the lack of evidence in the press release suggests to us that this is an attempt to influence government over Professor Werritty’s imminent review of grouse shooting.
“Young Hen Harriers are scientifically proven to have very high natural mortality and
more and more high profile cases of satellite tag failures are coming to light all the time.
“To suggest the tags of birds which die naturally are always found is simply untruthful.
“The RSPB know that. When Hen Harrier Brian disappeared on an RSPB reserve in the Cairngorms National Park, the tag was never found.
“Beyond the orchestrated campaign, there is no actual evidence to link these two losses of tag transmission to persecution or persecution on grouse moors."
