From breeding spots overrun by visitors to photographers disturbing endangered species, experts say the rarer the find is, the bigger the problem W it

‘You could single-handedly push it to extinction’: how social media is putting our rarest wildlife at risk

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2024-09-26 07:30:02

From breeding spots overrun by visitors to photographers disturbing endangered species, experts say the rarer the find is, the bigger the problem

W ith its impressive size, striking plumage and rowdy displays, sighting a capercaillie is many birders’ dream. Only about 530 of the large woodland grouse survive in the wild, most in Scotland’s Cairngorms national park.

But in recent years, those tasked with saving the species from extinction have had to walk a line between calling attention to the birds’ plight and discouraging people from seeking them out.

Although it is illegal to disturb capercaillie during the breeding season from March to August, that hasn’t deterred birders and nature photographers, motivated by the possibility of a prestigious spot – or shot. Over the 2022 season, 17 people were found on or around the “lek”, where male birds gather to compete for the attention of females in spring, says Carolyn Robertson, the project manager of the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project.

That same year, a birdwatcher was caught on camera, flushing six capercaillie from the breeding site. The man was arrested, but let go with a verbal warning. By then the damage may have already been done.