Moray news: Possible solution to Elgin’s gull problem

Hope may be on the horizon to reduce the number of seagulls who have made Elgin their home.

The town is plagued by large numbers of birds with some attacking people.

However Elgin Community Council heard this week a trial to reduce the gull population in the town centre is showing positive results.

Elgin BID (Business Improvement District) placed a sonic device on top of the St Giles Centre where there had been around 100 gull nests.

Following the trial that number fell to six.

Elgin BID is now looking to instal another device in the town centre.

Also, discussions are being held with Moray Council and Elgin Common Good Fund with the aim of rolling out sonic devices across the town.

However each device costs around £5000.

In addition to the two from BID, a further seven would be required to cover Elgin.

And with the breeding season fast approaching they need to be installed soon.

Speaking after the meeting community council chairman Alastair Kennedy said: "These figures are very possessive.

"The nests at the St Giles Centre went down from a hundred to six.

"The sonic device doesn’t hurt the gulls so we’ll see how this can be taken forward."

The community council has been raising the issue of urban gulls for years and is involved with developing a plan along with the local authority to manage the birds.

Sonic devices prevent gulls from breeding, reducing their population.

However as offspring nest in the area in which they were born it could take some time for that cycle to be broken.

John Divers is one of six Elgin councillors who administer the common good fund.

Cllr Divers (Elgin South, Labour) said: "It could take five years for the birds to realise this is not a place to nest.

"And of course these devices won’t work on every gull.

"But I’m hopeful there’s going to be a positive outcome from this."

The local authority carried out similar trials last year at East End Primary in Elgin and at a works depot in Mosstodloch which proved successful.

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