First success of the referendum for a federal hunting law: endangered turtle doves will no longer be hunted in Austria from this year!
Vienna/Vösendorf (OTS) – The birds are exposed to many dangers as they migrate between breeding and wintering areas. One that could very easily be left out is hunting. Not only in the Mediterranean region, but also in Austria, almost 200,000 birds are killed by hunters every year, including many migratory birds, even during the spring migration. A ray of hope: A few days ago, Lower Austria and Vienna announced that the hunt for the particularly endangered turtle dove would be ended – a first success of the referendum “For a Federal Hunting Law”. This calls for a federal hunting law that is compatible with ecology and animal welfare and that massively reduces the hunting of migratory birds.
In recent years, turtle doves have been hunted in Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna. Everywhere else in Central Europe, the long-distance migrant, which commutes annually between its breeding grounds in Europe and its wintering grounds in the Sahel, was already safe from shotguns. Now Austria is also following suit: Burgenland made a start at the beginning of the year and this week Lower Austria and Vienna also announced that they would protect the turtle dove all year round. An important step forward for species protection, with more to follow.
Pochards and pintails are also endangered throughout Europe and should be immediately removed from the list of huntable species. The pintail can still be hunted in three federal states (B, K, Lower Austria), and the pochard can be hunted in seven. “Why? There is no sensible reason for this at all. We need a federal hunting law that ends this arbitrary state rule,” emphasizes Rudolf Winkelmayer, representative of the referendum “For a Federal Hunting Law”.
“The hunting of snipe and quail during their autumn migration in Burgenland also lacks any reasonable justification and should be stopped without delay. Live birds must not be used as targets,” emphasizes Winkelmayer.
Even on the spring migration to the breeding areas, not all birds are safe from shooting when they cross Austria. Although the EU Birds Directive generally prohibits hunting during this period, migrating wood pigeons are hunted in three federal states (Burgenland, Upper Austria, Styria) and migrating cormorants are hunted in Salzburg.
“As a society, we should no longer tolerate our migratory birds being treated like this,” said Winkelmayer. “With our referendum we will do everything we can to make Austria a country where migratory birds are safe from shotguns.”
The referendum “For a Federal Hunting Law” has formulated 14 principles that are to be implemented in a federal hunting law (The initiative consisting of AG Wild Animals, the Ecological Hunting Association, Animal Protection Austria and the Association against Animal Factories is currently seeking declarations of support for the referendum, all of which are in People eligible to vote in Austria can do so at any district or municipal office and online around the clock using a cell phone signature.
Questions & Contact:
Animal Protection Austria
Jonas von Einem
Head of Communications
+43 699 16604075
Jonas.from one@tierschutz-austria.at
www.tierschutz-austria.at
#World #Migratory #Bird #Day #Call #hunting #migratory #birds #Austria