Fears ‘deadly’ Scottish seagulls could kill someone after spate of attacks
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‘Lives at risk’ due to aggressive seagull population
- Scottish ministers are facing calls for a national summit to address the increasingly aggressive seagull population as attacks are recorded across the country.
- Former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and fellow Tory Rachael Hamilton warned that gulls pose a serious health and safety risk, with people’s lives now at risk.
- Critics accused the Scottish Government of inaction and NatureScot's licensing system of being bureaucratic and having a conflict of interest.
- Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie acknowledged the issue's seriousness but stated he could not intervene in the licensing system due to potential judicial review, attributing the problem to people feeding gulls.
- NatureScot emphasised its role in balancing public safety with conservation, noting a decrease in lethal control licenses and advocating for long-term co-existence with gulls.