Cairngorms | Capercaillie Emergency Plan 2025

Capercaillie numbers are critically low, with only 532 left in Scotland. The Capercaillie Emergency Plan aims to improve capercaillie survival across the Cairngorms National Park, the last stronghold for them in the UK.

The Scottish capercaillie population faces extinction within our lifetimes unless urgent action is taken. The Capercaillie Emergency Plan, developed by the Cairngorms National Park Authority and NatureScot with support from over 100 stakeholders, will introduce swift and large-scale measures to combat this threat and help the population recover.

Aligned with the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan, which focus on restoring pinewood habitat to protect capercaillie, the plan prioritises immediate and targeted actions. It outlines steps to make the most of current opportunities and address key gaps - improving habitats, removing fences, reducing the impact of predation, and minimising disturbance to rapidly benefit capercaillie.

In the early 1990s, scientists predicted that capercaillie would be extinct in Scotland by 2010. The fact they still survive highlights what we can achieve. While the population remains fragile and needs continued support, such efforts are common when protecting highly vulnerable species.

Thanks to the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project, led by the Park Authority, more people than ever are involved in helping capercaillie, alongside longstanding efforts by land managers. The Capercaillie Emergency Plan provides a clear way forward for continuing that collective endeavour, ensuring capercaillie thrive in our forests for generations to come.