Once Again, Shame on the Hobby Hunters

In Scotland, various tourism companies offer wild goat hunting. The animals, which have no natural predators, are classified there as an invasive, non-native species, and recreational hunting of them is not illegal. It is believed that more than 3’000 of the animals now live in herds across Great Britain.

Images posted by TV presenter Larysa Switlyk on her Instagram profile are now causing an uproar. She posed next to a dead female goat, grinning vacuously into the camera in typical hobby hunter fashion. “Beautiful wild goat here on the Isle of Islay in Scotland.” And: “It was so much fun! They live on the edge of the cliffs and are masters at hiding.”

Politicians Stepped In

The British Brexit Secretary of the Scottish Government, Mike Russell, told BBC Scotland that the pseudo-huntress’s posts were “horrifying” and called for an immediate ban on goat hunting on the island. “Seeing people in camouflage gear with high-powered sniper rifles celebrating the killing of goats is simply unacceptable.”

Judy Murray, mother of tennis star Andy Murray, also saw the images and tweeted: “Shame!” She urged the government to intervene.

And Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said the government would review the current situation and consider a corresponding change in the law. More on crime and hobby hunting and on the psychology of hobby hunting.