Last Scottish Island Bird Hunt Banned after Almost 500 Years

A centuries-old tradition on a remote Scottish island has been halted. The annual bird chick hunt, known as the Guga Hunt, on Sula Sgeir has been banned this year by Scotland's natural heritage agency, NatureScot, due to conservation concerns. The hunting group, the "Men of Ness," had sought a license to hunt up to 2,000 juvenile gannets.

The hunt, first recorded in 1549, involved a perilous journey to the uninhabited island and the harvesting of young gannets. NatureScot acknowledged significant opposition from animal rights campaigners but based its decision on scientific conclusions that an adverse impact on the Sula Sgeir gannet population is possible in 2026. The population had already suffered mass mortalities in recent years due to bird flu.

Despite the conservation rationale, the ban has drawn criticism from some locals who view the hunt as a sustainable practice that has endured for 400 years. "The ban was inevitable, but it is a real shame," said local John Malcolm, 46. He argued that the hunt has been conducted sustainably for generations, providing a vital food source for impoverished communities in a harsh environment.

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The ban was inevitable, but it is a real shame. The hunt's been going for 400 years and it's a sustainable practice.