Never mind the government’s opinion, One Voice continues its fight for wolves
One Voice will be present at the Annecy legal tribunal on 2 October to represent a wolf that was deliberately hunted down by a vehicle.
A few days ago, the government presented the key features of the future national action wolf plan 2024-2029 and expressed its barely concealed desire to continue pursuing the eradication of wolves in France. Simplifying the procurement of shots, using night-vision goggles more widely… the objective is clearly to kill the largest number of wolves possible. However, massacring them with the support of the law is not even enough for those who are ready to do whatever it takes to eliminate them, including poaching. One Voice will be present at the Annecy Legal Tribunal on 2 October for one of their victims. Pursued by a reckless driver trying to purposefully run it over, this wolf narrowly escaped a collision and certain death.
Update from 02 October 2023:
The accused was found guilty today by the Annecy legal tribunal, which did not allow itself to be fooled by his fanciful argument explaining that his vehicle had deviated of its own accord and that he had never tried to hit this wolf on purpose.
He will have to: go on a three-day citizenship course, at his own expense, focused on environmental issues (non-compliance will mean he has to pay a fine of 3000 euros*); have the decision published, also at his own expense, in two local newspapers (Le Dauphiné Libération and Le Messager); and additionally, pay compensation to the plaintiff.
Given that the animal was saved in this case, we are satisfied with the conviction which symbolically shows that tormenting wolves and attempting to kill them is wrong. Our view of these animals must change. For as long as it is necessary, and for each and every one of them, we will keep watching and bring their voice before the courts.
Since 1 January, 135 of them have been killed with the State’s approval, and six have also been victims of poaching. When they manage to avoid being shot, they are subjected to “accidental captures”, poisoning, or road accidents.
A defendant who incriminates himself…
In March 2023, one of them was almost the victim of an illegal act in Haute-Savoie. An unfortunate new circumstance: a vehicle tried to hit it. Although he was simply trying to cross a road, a wolf was pursued by a driver deliberately changing direction and lanes to run him over. Proud of himself, the driver filmed his actions to brag about it to his friends, undermining his defence in denying the facts. It was this video that allowed the French Office for Biodiversity to identify the accused.
Although, very thankfully, the animal narrowly escaped this attempt to kill him, One Voice has filed proceedings to get justice for him, to recognise the persecution of wolves in France and demand that the accused is sentenced. The accused was in fact given a punishment of up to three years imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros for “attempting to destroy a protected species”.
Poaching wolves is an open secret
How many other wolves have actually been purposefully run over, but their deaths have been ruled as accidental due to lack of proof? Last year, we filed a complaint against several farming lobbies inviting people to kill wolves with no qualms completely illegally, and getting rid of the bodies to hide any evidence, hiding behind balaclavas and weapons.
Until wolves have peace, One Voice will defend their right to live without risking being killed, legally or otherwise, and will fight so that they can finally receive an effective protection system and for shots to definitively be banned. Help us to push this fight forward: sign our petition to stop the persecution of wolves in France.
*addition of the mention of the fine on October 6, 2023
Translated from the French by Joely Justice