Up to 100 pilot whales are at danger of stranding in a South Uist sea loch in the Outer Hebrides. It is reported that many of the mammals have injuries to their heads which marine experts say may have been caused by attempts to strand themselves on the rocky shore. The whales have been in Loch Carnan since Thursday (19 May) afternoon and rescuers are currently battling to try and save them using inflatable pontoons to refloat any stranded whales. Last year a smaller pod of pilot whales were seen in a similar situation in the loch. A few days…

Yesterday saw teams of pall-bearers carrying a coffin over the hills into the Monadhliath to symbolise the loss of Scotland’s wild places to wind farm developments. The protest – led by outdoors blogger Alan Sloman – saw the coffin rowed across Loch Farraline south of Loch Ness whilst a fiddler played a lament. The coffin was then carried over the moors by a group of around 40 before heading down to pass Dunmaglass Lodge on the estate owned by millionaire Jack Hayward, who has already received planning consent for a windfarm on the northern parts of the Monadhliath hill range.…

Red squirrel conservationists have reported a growing confidence in their bid to protect Scotland’s remaining red squirrel populations, it was announced today (16 May 2011). The announcement comes as Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS), the largest coordinated project to protect red squirrels in Scotland, marked its second year in operation recently. Mel Tonkin, SSRS Project Manager, said: “This project is the first strategic approach to red squirrel conservation ever to be attempted in Scotland. By channeling resources to priority areas in our aim to protect red squirrels by halting the spread of grey squirrels, we are making encouraging progress. “Most…