Badger digging in Gironde: hunters and the Prefect dismissed
Victory for badgers: the Bordeaux Administrative Tribunal made the opening of an additional hunting period for underground hunting with hounds illegal in Summer 2021.
In May 2021, the Gironde Prefect authorised hunters to benefit from a substantial additional period to dig out badgers. We have challenged this decision. The Bordeaux Administrative Tribunal has just cancelled this decision, ruled as illegal and dangerous for the replenishment of the population.
Hunters cannot get enough and keep asking for additional opening periods, mainly to kill the young who are not yet weaned. On 7 May 2021, with flagrant disregard for the Environmental Code, the Gironde Prefect gave them the possibility to go and dig out badgers between 15 May 2021 and 14 September 2021. To avoid this carnage, we had immediately filed an urgent appeal. The tribunal rejected our request, suggesting that the Prefecture had managed this activity sufficiently and that underground hunting with hounds in Gironde had no impact on the badger population. And yet…
A recurring scenario throughout France
In the documents that the hunters submitted to the Tribunal, we read that badgers having no natural predators will cause damage to crops and crashes on the roads. They therefore proposed to eliminate them and thereby ‘do a favour’ for the population who did not actually ask them for anything! We see this hypocritical rhetoric is well-oiled and this terrible scenario is replayed throughout France. Just as in the Morbihan, Saône-et-Loire, and Ain departments, where badgers are in danger of death each time.
For the simple pleasure of the hunters
Both in Gironde and elsewhere, the prefects rely on the data provided by hunters to justify their decision. As well as the method being debatable, this data lacks precision. What is the damage caused? Has it really been done by badgers? If yes, where? How much? What is the real impact? The Prefecture has not correctly justified their decision to arrange this additional hunting period.
And our question is: who is going to control the hunters? How can we know what collateral damage they commit, particularly in protected species? There must be an independent hunting policy and a radical reform on these barbaric practices for this. We are far from it. Our investigation proves it. Underground hunting with hounds is particularly violent, synonymous with a cruel death for, among others, young badgers.
A victory pointing to unlawful procedures
With this victory, we have not been able to prevent the massacre of badgers in Gironde in the summer of 2021. But the Bordeaux Administrative Tribunal’s decision has the merit of highlighting the processes of hunters who constantly want to lengthen the hunting season in all ways possible. Yes, this decision states that the hunters’ kills are in fact illegal, in collusion with the government services. It warms our hearts and provides additional arguments for future fights in favour of badgers.
You can continue to sign our petition for a radical hunting reform, which includes the abolition of underground hunting with hounds!
Translated from the French by Joely Justice