A PETITION to save a colony of wallabies on a Loch Lomond island has collected more than 100,000 signatures.

Campaigners claim there are now young joeys on Inchconnachan, adding to the numbers, originally determined to be seven based on heat mapping.

Broadcaster Kirsty Young and her husband, Nick Jones, have attracted controversy with their plans for a holiday lodge on the island, with opponents that the proposals would threaten the island's ancient woodland and the future of the wallabies.

Campaigner Craig Morrison, who set up the petition, said he was grateful for the public support but was "severely disappointed" with the responses of constituency MSP Jackie Baillie, regional Green MSP Ross Greer, and the national agency NatureScot.

Mr Morrison said the Scottish Government could comment or intervene, despite them arguing otherwise.

He said: "Given the wallabies are beloved animals throughout Scotland, the petition has garnered signatures from every parliamentary constituency in Scotland, and the island is situated in a national park, I think there is plenty to qualify it as a matter of genuine national interest.

"Jackie Baillie ignored my email, so I thought I'd follow it up with a phone call. Having spoken to someone in her office I was assured a reply over the coming days...still waiting months later."

Wallabies were first introduced to Inchconnachan in the 1950s by Fiona, Countess of Arran, a member of the Colquhoun family who formerly owned the island and who still own much of the land around Luss and the west shore of Loch Lomond.

Mr Morrison and other campaigners said documents submitted to the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority about the wallabies being "an invasive species" raised fears about their future.

He continued: "Ross Greer did actually bother to contact NatureScot in regards to this issue, attaching their reply to his email, and assured me he would continue to monitor the situation closely.

"Now given it appears he didn’t even read this response from NatureScot properly, his ability to monitor the situation is highly in question.

"In speaking with the head of [the] Argyll team from NatureScot it was confirmed to me that they still fully intend to carry out the eradication of these amazing animals.

"I then asked why this was the case. I was told it was due to the damage these animals were doingto the regeneration of the woodland.

"I asked if there was any evidence for this, as I couldn’t find any studies supporting this publicly.

"I was laughed at and said of course there was, and they agreed to send me the supporting studies."

Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton constituency MSP, said: “It is a matter of regret that Mr Morrison feels that he has not had the support of local politicians in his bid to protect these much-loved animals. When Mr Morrison called my office he was asked to resend his email but nothing was subsequently received.

“The wallabies on the Loch Lomond island of Inchconnachan have been a feature of the area since the 1950s and both members of the local community and visitors have a great fondness for them.

“Regeneration and improvement of the island by new owners is welcomed but the safety of species currently on the island, including wallabies, must not be compromised.

“I trust that the new owners will confirm their future plans for the protection of the wallabies and that there is discussion with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park to ensure the mammals are protected.”

A spokesperson for NatureScot said: "Early this year, we discussed with the new owners of Inchconnachan how best to protect and enhance this specially-designated woodland habitat, while looking at the impact of herbivores and invasive, non-native species on the island."

Mr Greer said: "As promised to the constituents who contacted me about Inchconnachan, I have discussed with NatureScot the options available for the island and its wallaby population. There are competing conservation interests at play here and it does no good to pretend there is a simple solution.”