23 deer killed in controversial culling programme in Aberdeen

Cull: The animals were killed between March 12 and April 9.

Twenty-three animals have been killed in a controversial deer cull in Aberdeen.

Figures released under Freedom of Information revealed that the four bucks and 19 does were shot at Tullos Hill between March 12 and April 9.

The cull took place mainly between 4.30pm and 7.45pm in the evening, although on two occasions operations took place between 8.30am and 10.40am.

Aberdeen City Council is planting 100,000 trees at Tullos Hill and other areas of the city as part of its Tree For Every Citizen scheme.

Campaigners opposed to the cull were challenged by the local authority to raise £225,000 to fund tree guards to prevent the cull. However only two pledges of money, one for £50 and another of £1, were made before last year’s May 10 deadline.

An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said: "It is a statutory requirement of Aberdeen City Council to manage deer on all of its land and this would be taking place on Tullos Hill whether there was a tree planting scheme or not.

“The roe deer population on Tullos Hill was assessed as being much higher than the land could support, there is very little variety of vegetation growing and deer suffered as a result.

“Aberdeen City Council’s ongoing deer management programme is carried out in accordance with all relevant legislation and established best practice, including Scottish Natural Heritage’s (SNH) Code of Practice on Deer Management and the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011, which increased the responsibility of land owners to manage deer on their land."

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