A total crisis for badgers in Morbihan

At the beginning of May, badgers poke their snouts out of the nest. Aged around eight weeks old, they are still feeding from their mothers and like to play in the fresh grass. Their lives have hardly begun. Will they be stopped dead by the pickaxe blows of the Morbihan hunters? In this department, the government services, once again under the influence of the Federation of Hunters, in effect plan to increase the authorisation on underground hunting with hounds for an additional period from 15 May to 14 September 2022. A public consultation is online, open until 15 April. We are therefore invited to comment on this announced massacre. Let’s do it.

Lethal practices for many animals

This time, the Prefect is not imposing his decision arbitrarily and is submitting it to public consultation. Perhaps because last year he was unsuccessful and was dismissed by the administrative tribunal. To justify five additional months of hunting, hunters are alluding to the damage caused by badgers on agricultural crops. The argument does not hold up. It is absolutely not necessary to kill animals to protect plants: fencing and olfactory barriers are a solution. Especially as these barbaric practices are not only lethal for badgers: wild cats, otters, or bats (equally protected species) also pay the price. Additionally, destroying badgers in the month of May puts the replenishment of their population in danger.

France lagging behind its European neighbours

Particularly violent, underground hunting with hounds involves letting dogs into badgers’ tunnels to drive them out. Brutally seized by their claws, they are shot down. Underground, dogs and badgers engage in real fights, which the dogs also come out of injured. Our undercover investigation bears witness to this.

Europe, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and even Switzerland have banned underground hunting with hounds. Why not in France?

Our actions have already allowed great victories for badgers, recently in Saône-et-Loire where we managed to get a similar decree suspended, as well as in Ain where we won the case.

It is now time to lead from the front for the Morbihan badgers. We are inviting the government services in this department not to give in to pressure from a minority of hunters defending their antiquated hobby. We invite you to consult our article on the arguments that can oppose this type of decree and to reformulate them with your own words. Together, let’s take on this public consultation and fight to protect wildlife and for respect for animals.

Translated from the French by Joely Justice