§ Mr. MATHERSasked the Lord Advocate if his attention has been called to the recent destruction of an osprey at Grantown-on-Spey, notwithstanding that the osprey is protected under the Bird 2001W Protection Order for the county of Moray; and whether any steps are being taken to prosecute the offender so that the osprey, now extinct in Scotland, may be assured of protection and have an opportunity of being re-established?
§ The LORD ADVOCATEOn 26th September last an osprey was found on the roadside in a wounded condition and was killed by a carter with a stone. On examination it was found that it had been suffering from a broken wing and that the wound was gangrenous. Assuming that there was a breach of the law—which is far from clear—the case was obviously one which did not call for criminal prosecution.