An animal protection charity has presented the Cairngorms National Park with a postcard calling for urgent action against mountain hare culls.
OneKind director Harry Huyton presented the park’s chief executive Grant Moir with the postcard which has the names of 8,625 people on the back.
A further 500 people sent their own postcards calling for protection for mountain hares.
OneKind Director Harry Huyton said: “Our National Parks should be safe havens for wildlife, yet mountain hares continue to be killed in huge numbers in the Cairngorms.
“I’m delighted that over 8000 people have joined us today to ask the park authority and the Scottish Government to step up and put a stop to the indiscriminate and widespread culls and commercial hunting within the park.”
Following the meeting, Mr Moir added: “Mountain hares are an important species in the Cairngorms and we want to ensure healthy populations across their natural range.”
“The CNPA board recently discussed the issues around mountain hares and we will further consider our approach as part of our input to the independently-led group which is being set up by Scottish Government to look at the environmental impact of grouse moor management.”