Local goose cull interrupted

The local goose cull has been interrupted this week to allow for the assessment of the population in the county.

Shooting teams working under the adaptive goose management scheme, which is aimed at controlling the resident greylag goose population, have been asked postpone shooting in preparation for a survey of the birds’ population, which will take place this weekend.

Scottish Natural Heritage, which runs the scheme with National Goose Management scheme, say the week-long stopping period is to allow the birds to settle before they are counted. The cull is set to continue from next week onwards.

A count of this kind has take place each year of the scheme, which was renewed for a third year earlier this summer. Under the scheme, permission to sell goose meat through local butchers was given last year.