Emergency plan launched to boost capercaillie numbers in Scotland - Cairngorms National Park Authority

The Cairngorms National Park Authority and NatureScot have launched a five-year Capercaillie Emergency Plan to help the capercaillie population recover in Scotland. Initiated by the Scottish Government, the plan involves a wide range of partners across the public, private and third sectors, and sets out a clear roadmap of actions in a bid to secure a brighter future for the species.

With only around 532 capercaillie remaining in the UK, NatureScot commissioned its Scientific Advisory Committee to investigate the critical situation. A number of key areas were highlighted in the Committee’s report including human disturbance, predation of young and fence removal, which, if tackled together, could improve capercaillie survival and breeding success. These areas are addressed in the Emergency Plan published today.

Andy Ford, Director of Nature and Climate Change at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “The Cairngorms National Park is home to 85% of the UK capercaillie population, so action in the National Park is critical. Protecting capercaillie has always been a collective effort. Thanks to the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project more people than ever before are now actively helping the species alongside the longstanding efforts of land managers and organisations. Given the scale of the task ahead to boost capercaillie numbers in Scotland we remain realistic but optimistic that a huge collective effort will make a positive difference.”