There are fears that capercaillie populations in the southernmost part of their range are no longer viable despite intensive efforts to save them. A cluster of small populations of capercaillie in the Trossachs and Argyll have steadily declined over recent decades. The last of these populations, centred on some of the Loch Lomond islands, has now dwindled to the point where there are only a few birds left. The nearest strong population is now in the Cairngorms National Park, well beyond the distance that capercaillie will travel to search for territory or a mate. This leaves any remaining birds on…

Four conservation charities, Buglife, the Scottish Campaign for National Parks, the Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group and the Cairngorms Campaign, have lost their legal appeal against plans for large new housing developments in the Cairngorms National Park. The charities were objecting to the creation of a new town of 1,500 houses at An Camas Mor near Aviemore, and a near doubling of the size of Kingussie as well as other housing developments in Carrbridge and Nethy Bridge. Following a previous unsuccessful challenge to the Local Plan, the charities appealed that decision. Today the Court of Session rejected that appeal with…