PROTECT THE WILD - GIANT ROB POWNALL’S GANNET GRABS THE HEADLINES IN SCOTTISH POLITICS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more We Didn’t Win the Election - But We Changed the Conversation How a giant Gannet running for parliament forced Scotland to talk about the Guga hunt. DEVON DOCHERTY MAY 9 READ IN APP Yesterday, we lost the election. But we won the moment. Because as millions of eyes across the country watched the results being announced, they saw a massive Gannet seabird on stage, unfurling a placard that read “END THE GUGA HUNT.” A few months ago, the idea sounded ridiculous. Run for Scottish Parliament dressed as a giant Gannet? But sometimes the only way to force people to confront an uncomfortable truth is to make it impossible to ignore. And that’s exactly what we did. Over the course of this election campaign, our founder Rob stood as an independent candidate in Edinburgh Central - the seat of power in Scotland, home to the Scottish Parliament itself to demand an end to the Guga hunt. If you didn’t know already, the Guga hunt is an annual tradition where ten men travel to the remote island of Sula Sgeir in northern Scotland, take baby gannets from their nests and bludgeon them to death for a local delicacy. Hundreds of years ago, this practice began as a matter of survival in times of food scarcity. Today, it survives only because of tradition - protected by a special exemption buried within Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. A single sentence in law which we are determined to change. Out of the shadows, and into the headlines Only a few months ago, it felt like hardly anyone knew that the Guga hunt was happening in Scotland. But our elections campaign has received widespread media coverage that has propelled it into the spotlight. From the original articles announcing that a man dressed as a giant seabird was running for parliament, to coverage of our attempted gatecrash of the Scottish Tory manifesto launch (apparently they weren’t interested in our “Ganifesto”) and then Have I Got News For You featured us on a segment, putting the campaign in front of over four million average viewers. We then made headlines again as Scots “flocked to the polls” on elections day, including front page coverage in the Edinburgh news. Then came the moment we had been waiting for. As millions watched the election results coming in live, they saw a Gannet standing on stage unfurling a placard reading: END THE GUGA HUNT. That message was broadcast on BBC News at Six. It appeared again on BBC News at Ten and also a ITV News at Ten. It was seen by millions of people across the UK and beyond. And the next morning, it was splashed across newspapers, websites and social media pages all around the country. To be honest, there’s now almost too much media coverage to keep track of. But perhaps the most extraordinary part was how perfectly everything aligned. Edinburgh Central became one of the most closely watched seats in Scotland after SNP veteran Angus Robertson lost his seat to Scottish Greens candidate Lorna Slater - making history as the first Scottish Greens MSP ever to win a constituency seat. And because candidates stand alphabetically on stage, Rob - whose surname begins with “P” - ended up positioned directly beside them both, which meant when the placard came out, it was directly in frame at the centre of one of the biggest moments of the night. This campaign was never about getting votes. It was about putting the Guga hunt into the public eye and onto the political agenda. And we believe we’ve achieved that. We’re delighted that Lorna Slater won the seat, with the Scottish Greens currently the only mainstream political party to have publicly committed to ending the Guga hunt. We hope to work with Lorna and other MSPs on this issue in the coming months. The public is paying attention Since yesterday’s coverage, Google searches for “End the Guga Hunt” have surged. Our petition calling on NatureScot not to issue this year’s licence is climbing rapidly - now surpassing 166,000 signatures and continuing to grow. SIGN THE PETITION A campaign with a tiny budget and only two people working on it managed to put a centuries-old hunt onto front pages, prime-time television, and in front of a nation’s eyes. What’s next? The election may be over, but the real work starts now. The new Scottish Parliament has formed, and we’ll soon be meeting with MSPs and stepping up direct political campaigning to put an end to this outdated activity once and for all. Our ask is clear: Remove the exemption from the Wildlife and Countryside Act that allows the Guga hunt to continue. The government petition to end the Guga hunt received more than 100,000 signatures and is expected to be revisited by parliament shortly. Combined with the growing national attention around the issue, we’re entering this next phase with real momentum. We’ll also continue scrutinising NatureScot and pushing them not to issue this year’s licence in light of the evidence and overwhelming public concern. The truth is this: We are closer than we’ve ever been to ending the Guga hunt, but without more people powering this fight, we cannot finish it. That’s why today we’re asking for your help. Adopt a Gannet! Become a monthly supporter of Protect the Wild and power the fight to end the Guga hunt. You can also choose to make a one-off donation. ADOPT A GANNET As a thank you, we'll send you a Gannet plush toy - a small, soft reminder of a bird worth fighting for. We’re not sure how many we will stock - so don't wait around! SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing