Booming fox population kills record number of Scottish lambs

Farmers in the north of Scotland believe a booming fox population there is behind a record number of lambs being killed.

The ban on hunting, an increase in forestry planting and a decline in the number of gamekeepers are thought to be the main reasons for the unprecedented growth in fox numbers.

"It's the worst year we have ever had for the number of lambs lost to foxes," said James Shearer, who has a flock of 600 ewes at Westfield, near Caithness. "Usually we can expect to lose about half a dozen lambs each spring, but this year we lost up to about 50, despite the fact that we shot about a dozen foxes ourselves."

Another farmer, Morris Coghill, who keeps 430 Shetland ewes near Dounreay, said he had lost 25 lambs to foxes. "It is a really big problem this year, possibly the worst we have ever had to experience," he said. "Just about everybody around here has suffered some loss."

Last week a number of farmers in the area staged a fox-drive to force the animals out of hiding and shoot them, but only managed to account for a couple of young foxes.

"It wasn't very satisfactory," said Mr Shearer. "Usually it is only during the spring that we have any problems, and the foxes get forgotten about the rest of the year - but the problem seems to be going on longer this time."