Badgers in the Eure region: faced with opposition from associations, the prefect renounces officially sanctioned hunts
Badgers in the Eure region will get a little respite. On 12 March, the prefect ordered officially sanctioned hunts until 31 May in four municipalities. The reason given? Alleged threats to public safety which, as always, were not proven. ASPAS, AVES, FNE Normandie and One Voice immediately appealed to the Administrative Court in Rouen to have the operations suspended. In a dramatic turn of events, even before the hearing, the prefect finally revoked his order! A victory by default, just a few weeks before the start of the supplementary underground hunting season.
Is “what you don’t see won’t hurt you” the prefectures’ new strategy against badgers?
The order authorised huntsmasters to hunt for badgers in the municipalities of Étrépagny, Le Thil, Saussay-la-Campagne and Mesnil-Verclives by day and by night, and to kill them by any means necessary. This was in the middle of the birthing season, when the young were just beginning to emerge from their burrows. With their mothers killed, the still-dependent badger cubs would have been left to fend for themselves and would have died after a few days.
This time, they were accused of posing a danger to a railway line… which had been partially closed since 2003! Of course, as always, there was not a shred of evidence. In 2024, we had already obtained the suspension in the department of the supplementary underground hunting season, as the prefecture had been unable to prove the pseudo-damage it accused the badgers of causing.
The repeal of the order a few days before the hearing is worrying evidence of the prefectures’ strategy: to pass orders that they know are illegal, hoping that we will not spot them.
On the eve of the supplementary unearthing season, it’s time for a general mobilisation in favour of badgers!
In 2023 and 2024, we achieved historic victories against spring and summer unearthing. Decision after decision, the judges have affirmed that, until they reach sexual maturity, badgers are protected by law. Unearthing puts them directly in danger. And the fight is paying off: while in 2020, 72 departments authorised this practice as from 15 May, by 2024 there were only 19!
However, the relentless pressure from hunters and prefects continues. Once again, this year, in several departments, the authorities are preparing to authorise this cruel pastime as from 15 May. They will find us standing in their way, speaking out on behalf of these architects of the underground who only desire to live in peace.
Our four associations are now asking the Administrative Court in Rouen to confirm the illegality of this order and to send a clear message to the prefects. In the meantime, please sign our petitions for a ban on unearthing and for a radical reform of hunting.