Lesser Snowbacks spotted over Scottish town
22 August 2021
Oliver Lesgringer
Dangerous Beasts and Muggle Affairs Correspondent
Dangerous Beasts and Muggle Affairs Correspondent
Wizards and a fair number of Muggles reported seeing three dragons flying over Durness on the northern coast of Scotland earlier in the afternoon. The seaside village was abuzz with rumours until the arrival of the Dangerous Beasts Containment Squad and a team of Ministry Obliviators calmed the situation down.
"We think we found all the Muggles who had seen the dragons," said Amelia Nott, a Ministry official. "There were three of them flying over the area and the fight between the males for the female had taken them out of their usual territory, towards the Muggle town of Durness.
"The Containment Squad successfully managed to cast disillusionment charms on the dragons after getting within 100 metres of them on their brooms, and the Obliviators dealt with all Muggles who raised an alarm. So, no harm done."
The Ministry official confirmed that the dragons were Lesser Snowbacks, a smaller species related to the Greater Snowback. There are thought to be only ten members of the smaller Snowback species left in the British Isles. Brown with white mottling on the back, they often nest in caves in the side of crumbling cliffs, their colouring providing perfect camouflage against detection.
Dragon enthusiasts were delighted to hear that the Lesser Snowbacks were breeding again. According to Creature Expert and dragon watcher, Ewyll Traddock, "Dragons breed in 30 year cycles and acquiring a mate, when they all wake up from hibernation at different times is very difficult especially when numbers fall so low. If the Snowback species is breeding, then we have much to be thankful for."
Some dragon enthusiasts called on the Ministry to revise its policy of maintaining existing numbers of dragons and support an expansion in their numbers.
"The Great Cavith, or Silverwing, is the largest dragon in these Isles and is on the brink of extinction. We need to urgently find a breeding partner for it. It is the last known member of that species hereabouts," said Professor Randolph Gossalimack of the Dragon Observation Unit at Twygthain, Ireland.
However not all witches and wizards support an expansion in dragon numbers. Creature Experts estimate there are 152 dragons left in the wild in Britain, and their presence is often impossible to hide from Muggles.
Based upon past experience, experts were bracing themselves for a rush of dragon watchers to the north coast, as the Lesser Snowbacks continue their courtship rituals. As usual though the Ministry urged wizards to stay away.
"No one can deny that it is very exciting to see a dragon, but remember these Lesser Snowbacks are forming breeding pairs, and need to be left alone, in peace to carry out their courtship. Anyone who cares about the survival of these species, should avoid putting off the dragons from their natural behaviour.
"The last thing the dragons need is to see gaping crowds or wizards flying on brooms around them."
In previous cases the Ministry has enforced an exclusion zone around dragon breeding sites, and officials refused to rule out action in the case of the Lesser Snowback if dragon watchers turned up in any numbers.
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