Current status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether NatureScot will consider the new research findings published in the British Ecological Society journal, Ecological Solutions and Evidence, outlining the ecological benefits of leaving deer carcasses in their environment in appropriate and defined circumstances.
Wild Deer Best Practice (WDBP) covers the practice of leaving carcasses on the hill and this guidance is regularly reviewed through the steering group to ensure it provides accurate and up to date information.
NatureScot recognises the benefits of leaving carcasses on the hill (in line with WDBP guidance) for nutrient cycling and food sources for wildlife. Decisions on when to leave carcasses is at the discretion of the land owner / manager and in many properties (including NatureScot properties) a proportion of culled deer are not removed.