Island rabbits killed off for 20p

Farmers say the rabbits have been causing severe damage to crops

Hunters are being paid a 20p bounty for each rabbit killed on Shetland.

The move comes after crofters and farmers reported severe damage to crops, particularly during the Easter breeding season.

The South Mainland Rabbit Control Society said shooting was the more humane way of cutting the numbers.

Doreen Graham, of the Scottish SPCA told BBC Scotland: "Shooting is probably the best option, providing the person is a good shot."

"The Scottish SPCA likes to see agriculture in a strong financial state because animal welfare suffers if it's not."

Six rabbits can eat as much as a sheep in one day Drew Ratter Crofters Commission

A spokesperson for the South Mainland Rabbit Control Society said: "Anybody in the south mainland can join. The larger landowners have already signed up and anybody wanting to hunt should get their permission.

"The society counts the tails and the money is paid out once a month. We keep a tally of each person's tails and a record of where they were shot.

"We've got six or seven hunters at the moment. They do it for sport and pocket money."

Drew Ratter, of the Crofters Commission for Shetland and Orkney, said: "Six rabbits can eat as much as a sheep in one day.

The SSPCA said shooting the rabbits was "probably the best option"

"When you multiply that by thousands it is a considerable amount of food being consumed.

"Shetland has had good summers recently and the rabbit population has multiplied tremendously fast."

Mr Ratter, who is also a Shetland Islands councillor, added: "The damage they can cause is huge, especially in an area like the south end of the island which is sandy. Rabbits can destroy huge areas of grazing."

A bounty has previously been operated on the island by the local authority.

Shetland Islands Council paid 25p per tail in 1990, and a total of 11,183 rabbits were killed.

The following year the bounty rose to 35p per tail, and the number shot rose to 15,607.