More than 50 rivers polluted by toxic chemicals used to treat fleas on pets
Wildlife is under threat from water pollution caused by pesticides which are hazardous, widespread and persist for years.
More than 50 rivers polluted by toxic chemicals used to treat fleas on pets
Wildlife is under threat from water pollution caused by pesticides which are hazardous, widespread and persist for years.
Three-quarters of 'sustainable' salmon farms broke environmental rules. None lost their accreditation.
We looked at inspection reports from the body which certifies “highest standard” farms with a public-facing ‘green tick’ — and found there have been breaches of its rules at dozens of fish farms.
Just three per cent of Scotland’s most fragile natural environments are monitored by the agency charged with protecting them
Threats facing our mountains, forests and national parks are increasing, but the level of monitoring of our “protected sites” has almost halved in five years, Scottish Environment LINK has found.
What makes a data centre 'green'? One major developer has lobbied for its own definition
The Scottish Government has been supportive of controversial green data centres and is liaising with the industry. But critics argue there are environmental considerations and companies must not be allowed to “write the rules”.
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Latest
Loyalist terrorist and neo-Nazi flags displayed at Edinburgh anti-immigration protest
Loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland murdered hundreds of people during The Troubles. But far right activists flew their flag at an anti-immigration rally despite terror laws banning public support for terrorists.
Salmon farms broke the law by letting fish suffer, say government regulators
Two salmon farming companies have been accused of allowing fish to die in pain at three farms in Scotland, after the release of covert video footage.
At Scotland’s major summer music festivals, four in five headliners are men
Only one in eleven major summer festivals analysed by The Ferret has a 50/50 gender split, with representation across all festivals declining at headline level.
Highland trout firm accused of animal welfare abuses
Covert filming of farmed trout apparently suffering at an abattoir last year led to a firm being formally warned. New footage has prompted a fresh complaint.
Families are being left without support after a suicide – and it’s causing more deaths
Those bereaved by suicide have a 65 per cent increased risk of taking their own lives. So why is there not more funding for support after tragedy strikes?
AI flooded the Scottish Government with wind farm objections. So they stopped accepting emails
The Scottish Government says the move was needed to tackle the "burden" caused by the growth in AI-assisted objections to energy projects. Critics say it is a way to mute public opposition.
Scotland’s wind industry is booming. China and Wall Street are cashing in
An investment vehicle managed by JP Morgan and state-backed firms from France, Norway and China own Scottish wind farms which have paid tens of millions in dividends this decade.
Loyalist killer and former Ulster Volunteer Force member attended Glasgow anti-immigration protest
An anti-immigration protest in Glasgow that turned violent last weekend attracted several hundred people. Those attending included loyalists from Northern Ireland with criminal convictions.
Investigations
Loyalist terrorist and neo-Nazi flags displayed at Edinburgh anti-immigration protest
Loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland murdered hundreds of people during The Troubles. But far right activists flew their flag at an anti-immigration rally despite terror laws banning public support for terrorists.
Salmon farms broke the law by letting fish suffer, say government regulators
Two salmon farming companies have been accused of allowing fish to die in pain at three farms in Scotland, after the release of covert video footage.
At Scotland’s major summer music festivals, four in five headliners are men
Only one in eleven major summer festivals analysed by The Ferret has a 50/50 gender split, with representation across all festivals declining at headline level.
Highland trout firm accused of animal welfare abuses
Covert filming of farmed trout apparently suffering at an abattoir last year led to a firm being formally warned. New footage has prompted a fresh complaint.
Fact Checks
Claim Glasgow City Council put up posters of ‘high risk’ areas for sexual assault is False
Posters appeared on social media purporting to be from the local authority, but they are fake.
Claim SNP government only increased teacher numbers by 75 is Mostly True
Conservative candidate Meghan Gallacher made the claim in a special education debate hosted by the BBC.
Claim Scottish GP numbers are at record levels is Half True
First Minister John Swinney made the claim in an SNP election leaflet
Claim 'abortion to birth' is now legal in the UK is Mostly False
Changes to abortion law in England and Wales have been misrepresented on social media.
Long reads
Is this former Viking outpost a model for a fairer Scotland?
The tiny Danish island of Bornholm was the site of one of the world’s first offshore wind turbines back in the 1940s. Now its citizens are fighting to build one of the largest community wind farms ever, and raise the benchmark of what’s possible for locally owned energy.
These women were abused by far right groups who claimed to want to protect them. But they fought back
Women have been leading the fight against the far right in Scotland but anti-racism activism has come at a high personal cost with at least 14 having been publicly abused and threatened. But they are resolute in the face of intimidation and say they will continue defending human rights.
Poland's Jewish revival: In the shadow of Auschwitz
We visited the Polish city of Krakow ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day which is held to remember the millions murdered by the Nazis – including six million Jews. Krakow's Jewish population was decimated then but the city is now home to one of the fastest-growing Jewish communities in the world.
Far-right agitators stand accused of stirring up trouble at asylum hotel protests. But anti-racists are standing firm
Following a sharp rise in far right activity, we’ve spent the last three months attending protests, speaking to activists under threat, and tracking anti-asylum seeker demonstrations across Scotland.
De-noiser
The Guga Hunt: Why a centuries-old Hebridean tradition is facing renewed scrutiny
The Ferret did a deep dive to explain why a bird cull on Lewis dating back centuries is causing outrage amid claims it's a "blood sport"
Businessmen and wealthy donors are bankrolling Scottish politics. Who are they?
The Ferret did a deep dive into the Electoral Commission’s donation records to find out who was funding Scotland's political parties.
Luxury hotels and dinner dates: Who is lobbying our politicians?
High end dinners are a fraction of over 29,000 lobbying meetings in the last parliamentary term. But campaigners argue that because the lobbying spend is not declared, their significance is underplayed.
Has the Scottish Government changed its stance on oil and gas?
With a decision on the Rosebank oil field imminent – and lobbying around the windfall tax at fever pitch – some are questioning whether the Scottish Government's current stance on oil and gas is in step with their ambition to be a world leader in climate action.
“I turn to The Ferret far more than what you might call the mainstream news to find out what's really going on.”
CHRIS PACKHAM, BROADCASTER AND NATURALIST“We need more independent media asking the questions that the powerful don't want to answer. It's vital that The Ferret succeeds.”
PAUL WOOD, WEST HIGHLAND FREE PRESS