Petition to save colony of wallabies on Kirsty Young's Loch Lomond island reaches 100,000 signatures
15.07.2022 - 00:53
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A petition to save a colony of wallabies on a Loch Lomond island owned by presenter Kirsty Young has gained more than 100,000 signatures. Campaigners claim there are now young joeys on the island of Inchconnachan.
There were initially thought to be seven of the animals on the island, having first been introduced 80 years ago, but breeding has added to the population, reports The Daily Express. The former Desert Island Discs presenter and her husband, Nick Jones, plan to build a holiday lodge on the island.
Mr Jones is the chief executive of Soho House UK and Ms Young was a former BBC journalist who retired due to health reasons. The couple are hoping to create a world-class tourist attraction and habitat.
They plan to build a boat house, paths and a boardwalk - it would involve the demolition of a derelict colonial-style timber bungalow dating from the 1920s. The building was badly damaged by a fire in May.
They also were planning to remove "invasive" or "exotic" species. But opponents to the proposals say it would threaten the island’s ancient woodland and the future of the wallabies.
Campaigner Craig Morrison launched the petition to show there was a public interest in saving the wallabies on Inchconnachan. Mr Morrison criticised Scottish Nature agency NatureScot for “condemning” the wallabies “on little to no evidence”.
He told the Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter : “It is just classic NatureScot taking the easy route of shooting these creatures instead of looking at alternative solutions. In speaking with the head of the Argyll team from NatureScot it was confirmed to me that they still fully intend to carry out the eradication of these amazing animals.
"I then asked why this was the case, I was told it was
The website popstar.one is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can
send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.