Each year baby gannets are ripped from their families' nests and clubbed to death. Their parents, powerless, see their babies killed in front of them. The hunt is cruel, archaic and needless.

Together, we must, and can, end it. 

Take action 

Why must it end? 

It is cruel and needless

A group on men – The Men of Ness – travel to island Sula Sgeir, which is uninhabited by humans, to rip the baby birds out of their nests with a pole and noose and crush their heads.

The baby animals are then “prepared” and returned to be sold as a “delicacy”.

The hunt is clearly needless and outdated, not aligned with Scotland's modern values.

Chicks may starve to death

The disturbance caused by the hunt can interrupt feeding. When adult birds are prevented from returning to their nests, chicks may receive less food — or be abandoned entirely — which can lead to starvation and death.

Capture causes fear and distress

Chicks are caught using poles and handled directly. Research shows that being captured and handled by humans can be a highly stressful and fear-inducing experience for wild birds, causing fear, anxiety and panic.

Potential for prolonged suffering

Young gannets are killed using blunt force. This method depends on accuracy and force, meaning mistakes can lead to prolonged suffering and distress rather than an instant death. As the hunt takes place in a remote and challenging environment, with birds clubbed to death in quick succession, may increase the likelihood of ineffective killing, and thus prolonged suffering.

Surrounding birds are disturbed

Human presence in the colony causes widespread stress and disruption. Adult birds may become anxious, abandon nests, or struggle to care for their young, affecting not just gannets but other seabirds nesting nearby.

Conditions increase the risk of harm

The hunt is carried out in a remote location with no monitoring, making it difficult to assess welfare impacts or ensure standards are upheld.

Last year, the hunt went ahead for the first time since 2021. Without action, it will continue. 

Our work so far 

At OneKind, we’ve been working hard to end the guga hunt. We have:

• Written to NatureScot and the Scottish Government immediately after the licence was granted, urging them to reconsider due to serious ethical and animal welfare concerns.
• Raised public awareness through the media, with our comments on the guga hunt featured in at least 39 pieces, including a BBC Alba broadcast interview.
• Met with senior NatureScot officials to press the case for change directly.
• Submitted evidence in support of Parliamentary petition PE2202: Stop the Guga Hunt.

It’s clear from our discussions with NatureScot that they are very unlikely to refuse a licence under the current law, as they can only refuse a licence if the hunt would threaten the overall conservation status of gannets  — not on the basis of animal welfare.  

That’s why our campaign is focused on urging the Scottish Government to update this outdated legislation. 

What is the current law? 

At the moment, the guga hunt is allowed because of a specific clause in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This clause permits gannets to be taken from Sula Sgeir “for the purpose of providing food for human consumption”. 

Unlike other licences issued by NatureScot, this is not about managing wildlife to prevent harm. In most cases, applicants must show that no less harmful alternatives are available — but that does not apply here. 

And so, we will be lobbying the Government to remove this archaic clause that permits the guga hunt. 

And we need your help. 

Take action: Add your voice 

We will be bringing our campaign to MSPs in the near future, and it is crucial that we show them just how strongly people across Scotland back an end to the guga hunt.

Take our e-action to let us know why you want this cruel hunt to cease. We will gather the responses and bring them to Government officials in-person. 

Take action 

The guga hunt does not reflect who we are today. 

With enough public support, we can put an end to this practice for good — and ensure that Scotland leads the way in compassion for wildlife.