Man charged over death of 18 seal pups

A 47 year old man has been charged in connection with the deaths of 18 grey seal pups found on a beach on a small island off Whalsay.

Scottish Natural Heritage workers alerted police when carrying out a seal survey on 29th November and when officers attended the beach at East Linga, just over three miles to the east of Whalsay, they found 12 dead pups on one part of the beach and six on another section.

It is understood that some of the pups appeared to have been clubbed to death.

The man has been released and a report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal. He will appear at Lerwick Sheriff Court in due course.