POLICE have been asked to investigate wildlife crime allegations at the Highland estate made famous by Shakespeare's Macbeth and now frequented by stars including Eric Clapton and the Beckhams.

Animal rights campaigners said the remains of more than a dozen mountain hares, which are protected under EU law, were found last week on the Cawdor estate, near Inverness.

The League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) alleges the animals were found in traps laid close to a special area of conservation known as Carn nan Tri-Tighearnan on the 50,000-acre sporting estate, which offers fishing, horse riding and grouse shooting. Mountain hares, which feed on heather, are considered a threat to grouse moors.

A complaint has been sent to Northern constabulary and a dossier containing photos and grid locations of the snares will be passed to detectives tomorrow. The force has said it will investigate the complaint.

The estate is home to Lady Angelika, dowager countess of Cawdor, the widow of the 25th Thane of Cawdor who died in 1993, and his heir, Lord Cawdor. Macbeth, in Shakespeare's play, is appointed by King Duncan as the Thane of Cawdor on his doomed rise to power.

The estate boasts a 15th-century castle, protected oak woodland and a luxury lodge that can be hired for about £6,000 a week. Guests there have included David and Victoria Beckham, Clapton and the Duchess of York.

Concerns that mountain hares were being snared were raised this month by a member of the public.

The LACS said it carried out its own investigation on the Cawdor estate last week. It says it has documented more than 50 traps, 16 of which it said contained the decomposed remains of mountain hares.

The charity said its findings suggest the animals may have died a slow death, in breach of

the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which requires snares to be checked every 24 hours to minimise animal suffering.

Under the EU habitats directive, the UK government has an obligation to ensure the sustainable management of mountain hares, which can damage grouse moors through overgrazing. The animals can only be killed under licence obtained from the Scottish government. Last week the Scottish government said the last licence issued in Scotland had expired in December 2006.

A report on mountain hare populations published last week by Scottish Natural Heritage reveals that a total of 24,529 hares were taken between 2006 and 2007 across 90 estates. Of these, 79% were shot, while 21% - more than 5,000 animals - were snared.

“We are extremely concerned about what we found at Cawdor,” said Louise Robertson, from LACS. “We will be passing on all evidence to the police for further investigation.”

Sometimes referred to as the blue hare, for the bluish-grey tint of its summer coat, the Scottish mountain hare - Lepus timidus scoticus - is native to the Highlands. Its preferred habitat is well-kept grouse moors, which provide perfect cover, while regular burning enables fresh new heather to spring up, providing nutritious feeding. Populations on grouse moors can reach very high densities with up to 200 hares per square kilometre.

Mountain hares are viewed as a pest by gamekeepers as their grazing can significantly affect grouse numbers.

A spokesman for the Cawdor estate said: “We were unaware until you told us that there was any form of report to the police by LACS. We are fully aware of, and take seriously, our obligations in terms of wildlife legislation. Any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate.”

Last week, a spokeswoman for Northern constabulary said:

“We fully appreciate the serious nature of wildlife crime and the impact it has on our communities in the Highlands and Islands. Our staff will always endeavour to fully investigate any such crime that is reported to us.”

oMinisters are to launch a crackdown on rogue puppy dealers, who will

face fines of £2,500 and up to three months in jail.

Under the new rules, to be introduced later this year to tackle the importation of animals from puppy farms in Northern Ireland, all dealers will have to be licensed.

It will become an offence to sell animals less than eight weeks old and all dealers will be checked by animal welfare officers.