News Archive - Page 5 of 124

Victims of a misleading and incomplete law, lion cubs continue to be born at Claudio Zavatta Circus

Victims of a misleading and incomplete law, lion cubs continue to be born at Claudio Zavatta Circus
18.09.2024
Victims of a misleading and incomplete law, lion cubs continue to be born at Claudio Zavatta Circus

The Animal Abuse Act of November 2021 promised to ban the breeding of wild animals in traveling establishments by December 1, 2023. Nine months later, nothing has been done to implement this measure. In the cages of the Claudio Zavatta circus, new lion cubs have appeared, probably born during the summer, and filmed in Le Gua by our investigators in September. The circus owners don’t care about being outside the law, the government is letting them get away with it, trampling on its commitments and duping the citizens. One Voice has lodged a complaint against the circus with the public prosecutor’s department in La Rochelle, and we are ready to take in the lions in the event of seizure.

“These circuses want to get animals over with, but they can’t find anyone to adopt their lions.” It was in this press article with a maudlin headline that circus trainers wallowed in self-pity this summer. They swore by their good faith, saying that they were moving heaven and earth to find new homes for their felines before 2028, when they will, in theory, no longer be allowed to transport trained wild animals from town to town. Are they trying to make us believe they’re at the forefront of the fight to end the exploitation of wild animals? The same ones they’ve never stopped keeping locked up?

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Supposedly illegal, reproduction continues

In recent weeks, however, young lion cubs have been attracting curious onlookers to the cages of the Claudio Zavatta circus in Le Gua, Charente-Maritime, reminiscent of the tiger cubs the Mullers exhibited in 2021. Are these animals really a “burden” for the circus? Not really, since it continues to breed them.

State complicity in the ordeal of captive wild animals

So they trample on the law. And why shouldn’t they, when the government does the same? Almost three years after the law was passed, the decree implementing the breeding ban has still not been published. Nothing has been done, except to lull public opinion to sleep, to convince citizens that the animals had been saved, all the better to continue subjecting them to confinement and exploitation until they die.

In 2028, what will become of the tigers and lions still confined behind bars? What will become of Samba and Jumbo, if they have not succumbed like Dumba before them? Are they destined to end up in the hands of taxidermists who line the pockets of circus performers? Or will they be sent to undignified facilities abroad, where their torment will continue unabated, like Baby? Thanks to the inaction of the State, which seems in no hurry to offer new accommodation solutions, the establishments that choose to settle down won’t even have to ask themselves the question: they’ll be able to keep their animals, as if nothing had happened.

We’re not going to let this happen, and filed a complaint against the Claudio Zavatta circus on September 20, backed up by on-site investigation images. In the event of seizure, we are at the disposal of the authorities to take charge of the detained lions, lionesses and lion cubs.

The report commissioned by the French Ministry of Ecology is out: the future of Marineland’s orcas and dolphins at stake

The report commissioned by the French Ministry of Ecology is out: the future of Marineland’s orcas and dolphins at stake
30.09.2024
France
The report commissioned by the French Ministry of Ecology is out: the future of Marineland’s orcas and dolphins at stake
Circuses

This month, the report on the future of the dolphins and orcas held by Antibes Marineland, commissioned by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition (MTE), is – at last – out. And this at a time when One Voice is preparing to speak up for Wikie and Keijo at court once again.

“Three scenarios were therefore explored by the mission:

– keeping the cetaceans present in the existing refurbished structure (renovated and enriched basins), and transforming it into a refuge under the provisions of law no. 2021-1539;

– sending the cetaceans to one or more other aquatic parks abroad (option chosen at this stage by Marineland with Kobe Suma Sea World [KSSW]);

– housing cetaceans in one or more “sanctuaries” designed for this purpose in semi-natural captivity conditions, in France or abroad.” (Page 13)

The authors of the IGEDD (General Inspectorate for the Environment and Sustainable Development) report open the door to the idea of marine sanctuaries, as required by the spirit of the 2021 law, and point out that of the proposals made, only the project supported by One Voice is a feasible solution. But it also argues that if the schedule required it – and this seems to be a requirement of Marineland, whose bosses are seeking to transform the park – Loro Parque would be a place ready to welcome orcas immediately.

Naturally, One Voice objects to the fact that such an option is being considered. It would consign Wikie and Keijo to an even bleaker future of captivity and endless training, in even smaller basins than those way too tiny in light of their needs that we denounce on the Côte d’Azur.

In the case of dolphins, the report recommends that individuals be divided between a sanctuary and several dolphinariums… This illustrates Marineland’s lack of consideration for the animals who have been their heyday, and allows us to perceive, for those who have not yet done so, their essential “values”, which are far removed from our own.

“Recommendation 4: propose that Marineland share the dolphins between the Jonian dolphin conservation sanctuary in Taranto, Loro Parque and other dolphinariums, and ensure the facilitation of exchanges between teams for the realization of transfers.”

Contract, reproduction….. or the admission that everything we said was true

The report by the “mission to explore the various options for the future of the cetaceans at Antibes Marineland” confirms everything One Voice has been saying for years: the orcas held by Marineland are indeed destined for a Japanese dolphinarium.

“Of the two establishments holding cetaceans in France, Antibes Marineland, which at the time of writing this report owns two orcas and 12 bottlenose dolphins, does not wish to enter into this derogatory framework and therefore plans to part with its animals. It has entered into a contract […] with a Japanese aquatic park willing to take them in, which has aroused strong opposition from animal protection associations, who consider this transfer to be contrary to the spirit of the law, as it would lead to a deterioration in the animals’ well-being”. (Page 5)

“Marineland has established contacts and signed a contract in 2023 with the Kobe Suma Sea World park in Kobe, Japan, which has built facilities to accommodate orcas.” (Page 8)

And in Kobe, as in Tenerife’s Loro Parque, where the problems encountered by the animals are legion, as we denounced, Wikie would be subjected to reproduction by the captivity industry. Worse still, the family unit formed with Keijo could be reduced to nothing:

“The KSSW [Kobe Suma Sea World, editor’s note] has a policy of captive breeding and is therefore very interested in acquiring Wikie, a female with proven reproductive qualities. The maintenance of the family unit made up of Wikie and her son Keijo, an essential element in their well-being, is therefore not guaranteed. Indeed, participation in a breeding program with Kamogawa Park will involve exchanges of animals and probably the separation of the family unit”. And: “The fact remains that transport by cargo plane over a long distance (more than 12h flight) is undeniably stressful and involves a risk for the animals”. (Page 24)

“Since 2012, however, [Loro Parque] has experienced several animal deaths due to intestinal problems, heart problems or unexplained causes”, and further: ‘There are plans to breed Wikie.’. (Page 26)

As far as we’re concerned, none of these places are suitable!

The only viable project for orcas is indeed the one supported and promoted by the association since 2019, and which the report presents as the only marine sanctuary meeting the AMI criteria:

“On the basis of the responses received to this AMI by comparing them with the reception conditions of the two aquatic centers that have given their agreement to welcome orcas and dolphins, and after consulting a group of experts on captive and wild cetaceans, the mission was able to make the following recommendations: as far as orcas are concerned, it considers that only the Nova Scotia sanctuary project, led by the Whale Sanctuary Project, meets the AMI criteria in terms of technical quality, feasibility in terms of deadlines and financial sustainability, even if the project is of an experimental nature which involves an inherent element of risk”. (Page 5)

The responsibility for the predicted tragedy lies neither with the associations nor the activists

The mission’s experts recommend dialogue between the associations and the park. That’s all we’re asking for, and it’s not new!

“Recommendation 3: propose that Marineland initiate team collaboration with the WSP (Whale Sanctuary Project, a sanctuary supported by One Voice, editor’s note) to examine the feasibility of an effective transfer to the sanctuary in the coming months, and at the same time start discussions with Loro Parque on the future of the animals.” (Pages 6 and 34)

For years, we have been urging French dolphinariums and the authorities to plan for the creation of marine sanctuaries. We have also repeatedly called on the park to cooperate with us to this end, without success. It’s a lie to suggest that our legal actions against the park have made it impossible for us to discuss the matter. Rather, it was the park’s repeated rejection of our outstretched hand, and its determination to sell the orcas to another dolphinarium, that left us no choice but to fight it.

“The pressure exerted by activists in the field, combined with the presence of the media and the multiplication of legal actions, seems to have contributed not only to accelerating the park’s decision in principle to dispose of the animals, but also to postponing their transfer to Japan and mobilizing the French authorities to urgently find an alternative solution. It has also undoubtedly led to the abandonment of a scenario of maintaining the animals in situ by means of work and a scientific program, given the strain it is putting on Marineland’s management and employees, and to the breakdown of dialogue on a possible transfer to a sanctuary, which would require mediation efforts if it were to be carried out successfully at present”. (Page 12)

The likelihood of the surviving orcas being sent to a sanctuary, even if it is the best solution, is slim as it requires precautions to be taken. In reality, the way is paved for a swift arrival in the Spanish dolphinarium, should the decision be taken…

“The only acceptable alternative to the orca sanctuary would be their placement at Loro Parque in Tenerife, which has the advantage of having facilities ready to accommodate the two specimens in addition to those already present, in conditions similar to those at Marineland.” (Page 5)

Yet it is these deleterious conditions that are at the heart of the problem! We are astonished that the mission does not mention the state of health of the orcas or their transportability in this respect… Isn’t it now a question of “getting rid” of the animals who have made Marineland’s fortune?

The temptation of a transfer in defiance of a court ruling

The icing on the cake is that Marineland’s intention has never been to comply with the law, nor with the various court rulings handed down since the law was passed, which have invariably pitted it against us.

“Marineland SA signed a contract on October 23, 2023 with the Japanese company GRANVISTA Hotels & Resorts, which is carrying the KSSW project, for the donation of two orcas and the loan of the other two for breeding purposes (historically practiced by the Kamogawa Seaworld belonging to the same group), public education and scientific research on animal behavior).” (Page 22)

“During successive interviews, the park’s management has not ruled out a departure of the animals despite the injunction to keep them on site ordered in January 2024 by the court under threat of penalty payments, considering that it is prepared to suffer the financial consequences.” (Page 11)

Timetable and savings against animals

Even if, in the end, the report’s conclusions are more balanced concerning the two surviving orcas, the decision (and the ensuing responsibility) effectively rests with the politician… It would be disastrous and unacceptable for this decision to be determined by purely economic considerations.

“Consulted by the mission, the Ministry’s Legal Affairs Department (DAJ) considers that the legal risk is largely averted from the point of view of issuing the CITES export permit: a priori, there is nothing to prevent the departure of the animals, insofar as they are fit for transport and the dossier provided by Marineland is sound.

Given Marineland’s plan to convert its activities into an amusement park without keeping animals, the high cost of maintaining the animals (in the region of €500,000 per year per orca) and the legal costs incurred, the financial consequences for the State if it decides to oppose the departure of the two orcas are likely to be greater than if it decides to grant the permit. In fact, since its decision to part with the orcas is a direct consequence of the provisions of the law of November 30, 2021, Marineland could be entitled to demand that the State cover the costs associated with canceling the departure and maintaining the animals kept at Marineland against its will, or even the financial losses associated with the delay in the conversion plan, until a solution is found.” (Page 12)

Parques Reunidos has already lost a lot of money with the impossibility for the group to send the four orcas as early as 2020 to China and then in 2024 to Japan, thanks to our legal actions and our public and media alert, uninterrupted for almost four years.

“Marineland’s cetacean staff are anticipating its imminent closure, and are already actively seeking employment in other centers. This, combined with the delays in renovating the facilities since the law was passed, puts the animals’ physical and mental health at risk. It appears to the mission that, whatever destination is ultimately chosen, it is not possible to delay the departure of orcas and dolphins beyond 12 to 18 months without exposing them to excessive risk.” (Page 30)

If Marineland and its managers are demanding that the government unblock the situation as quickly as possible, it’s likely that timing and money will be the most decisive aspects with no regard for the animals. The executive power now holds the cards to come out on top of this situation, in compliance with the spirit of the law passed in 2021.

“Contact has been made with Marineland’s management, who have said they are willing to work together to find a solution for the future of the cetaceans, and will ultimately defer to the Ministry’s decision, insofar as it does not call into question Marineland’s project to convert into an amusement park and the timeframes envisaged (start of work in 2025).” (Page 15)

Some will appreciate the bad faith with which the park uses the animals’ physical and mental health to justify sending them to another dolphinarium…

The experts’ conclusion does, however, offer some hope for Wikie and Keijo:

Two scenarios can be proposed to Marineland with the aim of obtaining its collaboration, with different political, judicial and financial consequences to be anticipated:

As a priority, explore the transfer to the WSP sanctuary, which requires more complex and time-consuming preparations (finalization of the project, travel, greater difficulty for caretakers to accompany the acclimatization phase given the remoteness, scientific mobilization to be ensured for supervision and monitoring…) and includes a share of the risk of failure both in terms of animal welfare and funding. On the other hand, this option allows for more positive communication, focused on a noble ambition in two respects – animal welfare and research – and could make the decision symbolic at international level of France’s action as the first State to try to offer a more respectful end-of-life to this emblematic species in comparison to captivity, and in favor of protecting cetaceans in their natural environment.
In the event that this first option is not feasible, the transfer to Loro Parque is a pragmatic solution which, however, presupposes the termination of the contract with the Japanese park and prior negotiation, notably concerning the division of costs between Marineland and Loro Parque, and the preparation, according to a procedure well established in captivity circles, of the animals and teams. This choice is likely to trigger media reactions and legal actions from associations. We don’t know how the staff will react, but we can only hope that they will be involved in the preparations and the aftermath of the transfer, in the interests of the animals”. (Page 33)

For us and for the orcas, there is only one dignified and moral solution

Only the full support of the Ministry (which is supposed to protect them) can now save Wikie and Keijo’s fate. Our hope is immense, and we stand ready to move forward in concert, strengthened by years of preparation for this eventuality. Our determination to prevent any transfer to another dolphinarium in Japan or Europe is boundless.

Join us in calling for an end to dolphinariums Join us in calling for an end to dolphinariums Join us in calling for an end to dolphinariums Join us in calling for an end to dolphinariums Join us in calling for an end to dolphinariums Join us in calling for an end to dolphinariums Join us in calling for an end to dolphinariums Join us in calling for an end to dolphinariums Join us in calling for an end to dolphinariums Join us in calling for an end to dolphinariums

Forced transparency: One Voice reveals what goes on behind the scenes for MNHN’s grey mouse lemurs

Forced transparency: One Voice reveals what goes on behind the scenes for MNHN’s grey mouse lemurs
28.09.2024
Forced transparency: One Voice reveals what goes on behind the scenes for MNHN’s grey mouse lemurs

After another victory before the Versailles Administrative Court on May 31st, we have finally received some of the documents requested from the MNHN: dubious procedures, unjustified reclassifications, missing documents… Here are a few revelations!

Since 2021, we have been calling for the closure of the world’s largest breeding facility for grey mouse lemurs destined for experimentation. More than 500 of these lemurs are kept here for use in laboratories. We have demanded full transparency from the National Museum of Natural History in order to expose the practices used there.

We went before the Versailles administrative court on two occasions, and last April, the judge once again ordered the MNHN to provide us with ethical assessments of experimental projects involving these primates.

Persistent grey areas

While he gave them two months to send us all documents concerning animal experimentation projects on grey mouse lemurs since 2013, we still have no trace of projects undertaken between 2013 and 2015. What’s more, our recent research leads us to believe that other experimental projects involving grey mouse lemurs were carried out in 2023 and 2024, without the corresponding documents having been sent to us. This is why we have contacted the MNHN again, demanding the immediate transmission of all documents relating to experiments on grey mouse lemurs!

Questionable procedures, animals sacrificed

The documents we were able to obtain following this decision reveal some worrying passages, confirming what we have long feared: procedures are not strictly adhered to. A striking example is this comment found in one of the assessments:

“Given that this animal model is valuable, it might be wise to put here mild or moderate because otherwise […] they cannot be reused.”

This passage is a clear illustration of researchers’ attitude to grey mouse lemurs. Far from being treated as sentient beings, these animals are perceived as mere “models”, resources to be optimized. Rather than following rigorous criteria to assess their suffering, it appears that their priority is to minimize it and maximize the use of these animals.

Other elements raised in these assessments also raise questions. Some of the reclassifications proposed by the ethics committee seem arbitrary. For example, we noted one case where surgery for the insertion and removal of telemetry implants was reclassified from “severe” to “moderate” without any explanation to justify it.

These big-eyed little animals are sentient beings, so sign the petition to put an end to their ordeal!

Protection status for wolves: the European Commission’s decision is a serious setback for the conservation of the species and biodiversity

Protection status for wolves: the European Commission’s decision is a serious setback for the conservation of the species and biodiversity
26.09.2024
Europe
Protection status for wolves: the European Commission’s decision is a serious setback for the conservation of the species and biodiversity
Press release

We, associations committed to the protection of wildlife and biodiversity (ASPAS, FERUS, Focale pour le Sauvage, One Voice, Pôle Grands Prédateurs and Vigie Jura), firmly denounce the European Union’s recent decision of September 25, 2024 to downgrade wolves from a “strictly protected” to a “protected” species. This measure, which denies international conventions and validates the lowering of wolf conservation regulations in Europe, runs counter to decades of efforts to preserve this essential species and its role in the balance of our natural ecosystems.

Wolves: a keystone species in our biodiversity

Wolves are an essential species to the regulation of large herbivore populations, contributing to habitat diversity and forest health. Their gradual return to Europe and their presence in our forests, although contested by some, help to restore an essential natural balance in the ecosystems of several regions, disperse herbivores and thus promote forest regeneration. These animals have been the subject of rigorous protection policies, which have proved effective in enabling their populations to recover and once again play their essential ecological role. The downgrading of wolves from their strictly protected status jeopardizes the conservation efforts undertaken over several decades, as well as the lupine population, which is considered to be in poor condition by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

An irresponsible and dangerous political decision

The European Union’s decision is not only a blow to biodiversity preservation policies, but also a simplistic response to economic pressure from agricultural lobbies that advocate productivist farming and support farmers who refuse to adopt solutions for coexistence with wolves.

Rather than reinforcing programs to help, raise awareness and support farmers in protecting their flocks in a sustainable way, this decision favors the path of ecological regression. It sets a dangerous precedent which risks leading the European Union to accept other environmental regressions (lynx, beavers, bears, cetaceans, etc.). This position quite simply negates all the work done by breeders in favor of cohabitation, and the public expenditure that has gone into setting up herd protection systems with the aim of harmonious cohabitation.

The impact of consumer choices

As consumers, we have a crucial role to play in protecting wolves and biodiversity. By supporting farming methods that respect wildlife, and by choosing products from farms committed to peaceful cohabitation with predators, we can directly influence agricultural choices. However, by continuing to support farmers who campaign for the eradication of wolves, we are contributing to the destruction of our shared natural heritage and the collapse of our ecosystems.

An emergency for European biodiversity in the midst of the 6th mass extinction

This irresponsible political decision comes at a critical time, when European biodiversity is already under serious threat. It sends out a dangerous message not only in France – where the decree of February 21, 2024 has already greatly relaxed the conditions for killing wolves – but throughout Europe. Giving in to short-term pressures at the expense of long-term conservation policies is a mistake with far-reaching ecological consequences.

We call on the European Union, member states and MEPs to reverse this decision and turn to sustainable solutions that reconcile wildlife protection and human activities. Wolves, who are already the subject of numerous derogations to their protection, must not see their protection status diminished, which would radically facilitate their slaughter.

Our actions and commitments

The associations signing this press release will continue to mobilize to defend wolves and biodiversity in the face of this new threat. We invite all European citizens to support this cause, to make enlightened food choices and to join us in our actions to ensure that Europe remains a land of coexistence and respect for Life.

It’s up to each and every one of us to call on our MEPs to ensure that the rights of living creatures are respected and that our common good is preserved: it’s in the general interest.

Sign to stop the persecution of wolves Sign to stop the persecution of wolves Sign to stop the persecution of wolves Sign to stop the persecution of wolves Sign to stop the persecution of wolves Sign to stop the persecution of wolves Sign to stop the persecution of wolves Sign to stop the persecution of wolves Sign to stop the persecution of wolves Sign to stop the persecution of wolves

Olympic Games: One Voice and its partners call for an end to events involving horses

Olympic Games: One Voice and its partners call for an end to events involving horses
23.09.2024
Olympic Games: One Voice and its partners call for an end to events involving horses

In a letter to the International Olympic Committee, we join with PAZ, L214, Peta France and Gaia in calling for an end to the equestrian events at the Olympics. Horses must no longer have to endure training to the limits of their strength, nor the stressful transport inherent in this discipline. We are calling for them to be granted pet status, which would finally remove them from the category of livestock.

If the Olympic Games are meant to be a celebration, they are not for the horses forced to take part.

To win titles and medals, they undergo grueling training. Hindered by bits and spurs, they are forced to perform unnatural physical feats that put them at risk. And when they don’t satisfy their rider, it’s often the whip that calls them to order. For them, taking part in competitions is anything but rewarding. Those who are selected also have to endure the anguish of long journeys, including by plane, and the interminable wait in tiny stalls.

A violent sport, sometimes fatal

At every competition, the blows and falls multiply. During the Tokyo Games in 2021, Saint Boy, in obvious distress while facing the obstacles, fell victim to the relentlessness of rider Annika Schleu. Worse still, Jet Set was seriously injured and killed. These are far from isolated tragedies. Again this year, horses in Paris have refused the jumps imposed on them, or have fallen violently while trying to obey. What will become of these animals deemed insufficiently docile, insufficiently competitive? Will they be sent to the slaughterhouse, like many others “at the end of the road”? Or will they be ridden to death, like Flogas Sunset Cruise?

In the manner of the modern pentathlon, which has announced that its equestrian event will be replaced by an obstacle course on foot, we call on the International Olympic Committee to abandon all disciplines involving horses.

Sign our petition so that horses can finally enjoy a pet status and the same protection as our companions, dogs and cats.

At Charles de Gaulle airport, monkeys from Mauritius are transported by SmartLynx Airlines to Boston. We’ll be there!

At Charles de Gaulle airport, monkeys from Mauritius are transported by SmartLynx Airlines to Boston. We’ll be there!
19.09.2024
At Charles de Gaulle airport, monkeys from Mauritius are transported by SmartLynx Airlines to Boston. We’ll be there!
Animal testing

One Voice has been alerted by Abolicion Viviseccion to the involvement of SmartLynx Airlines in the transport of monkeys from Mauritius to the USA via Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport. The flight is scheduled for next Monday. A happening will take place on September 23 at 11am on rue du moulin 95700 Roissy in France to denounce this unacceptable complicity.

These intelligent, sensitive animals will endure extreme stress and anxiety. Locked up in tiny cages, they will be transported in the hold, exposed to the deafening noises and unsettling sensations of an over 21-hour journey. However, all this is nothing compared to what awaits them once they arrive at their destination. Our recent investigations into primate farms in Mauritius have highlighted the harsh conditions these animals endure even before their departure.

Faced with this news, we have decided to take action. On September 23 at 11am, during the stopover at Roissy airport, we will be organizing a peaceful happening. We intend to send a clear message denouncing these practices and urge SmartLynx Airlines to withdraw from transporting primates for experimentation.

Thanks to the commitment of our association and its partners, we have already achieved a major victory: Air France has decided to stop transporting primates for laboratories. We continue to demand that all airlines, and SmartLynx Airlines in particular, follow suit and cease transporting primates immediately. It is inconceivable that companies continue to be complicit in the torture of thousands of animals.

Please join us in calling on SmartLynx Airlines to permanently cease its active and commercial involvement in transporting monkeys to a life of endless experimentation.

Say no to the use of macaques in laboratories! Say no to the use of macaques in laboratories! Say no to the use of macaques in laboratories! Say no to the use of macaques in laboratories! Say no to the use of macaques in laboratories! Say no to the use of macaques in laboratories! Say no to the use of macaques in laboratories! Say no to the use of macaques in laboratories! Say no to the use of macaques in laboratories! Say no to the use of macaques in laboratories!

Mountain Galliformes: One Voice takes up the fight again in 2024!

Mountain Galliformes: One Voice takes up the fight again in 2024!
20.09.2024
Mountain Galliformes: One Voice takes up the fight again in 2024!
Hunting

Last year, our legal action saved over 1,000 galliformes. This year again, the prefects are preparing to reauthorize their hunting. Grey mountain partridge, rock partridge, black grouse, hazel grouse, rock ptarmigan… all are targeted, even though their populations are in constant decline. They are already bearing the brunt of climate change and the destruction of grass by farmed ewes, which means they can no longer feed their chicks. From the Alps to the Pyrenees, we’ll be attacking the decrees as a matter of urgency to demand that the operations be suspended! First hearings at the Grenoble administrative court on September 27 at 10am for the Isère, Savoie and Haute-Savoie regions, and at the Marseille administrative court on October 7 at 2pm for the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region.

In 2023, an unprecedented number of victories and hunters put in their place by the Council of State

Last year, thanks to our numerous legal victories, Alpine galliform hunters had to put their guns away just a few days after the opening of the season. Panic-stricken, they naturally sought to counter-attack by taking their case to the Council of State against the rulings that were in our favor. But the response was swift: whether in the Haute-Savoie, Savoie or Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region, the judges at the Palais-Royal swept aside and rejected all these appeals.

The hunting of these birds is sadly indicative of the outdated mentality of a small group of individuals who believe that nature belongs to them. They have no problem shooting animals of species on the brink of extinction, whose habitat is being reduced to nothing by global warming and intensive pastoralism, for the sake of their “hobby”! If hunters’ aim was the outright destruction of biodiversity, they wouldn’t be doing it any other way.

In 2024, from the Alps to the Pyrenees, save as many individuals as possible!

On September 15, the culling of these emblematic French mountain birds began in the Alps. In the Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Isère and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence regions, hunters put on their boots and, armed with their rifles, track them down to the very last corner. We won’t let them!

Of course, the prefects waited until Friday evening to publish the acts setting the number of birds who could be killed, a well-known strategy for preventing us from taking legal action in time. But we were ready, with our lawyers, and appeals have already been lodged! On September 27 at 9:30 a.m., the Grenoble administrative court will rule on the orders for the Savoie, Haute-Savoie and Isère regions. On October 7 at 2pm, the judges in Marseille will examine our appeal for the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region.

Sign our petition for a radical reform of hunting Sign our petition for a radical reform of hunting Sign our petition for a radical reform of hunting Sign our petition for a radical reform of hunting Sign our petition for a radical reform of hunting Sign our petition for a radical reform of hunting Sign our petition for a radical reform of hunting Sign our petition for a radical reform of hunting Sign our petition for a radical reform of hunting Sign our petition for a radical reform of hunting

Strict wolf protection: 300 European NGOs co-sign a joint declaration

Strict wolf protection: 300 European NGOs co-sign a joint declaration
19.09.2024
Strict wolf protection: 300 European NGOs co-sign a joint declaration

With the EU due to hold a decisive meeting in the near future to discuss the proposal to lower the level of protection for wolves, over 300 European organizations, including One Voice, are voicing their opposition to this retrograde project, in a joint statement published on September 19 at the initiative of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB).

Don’t reverse conservation progress: EU must step up coexistence efforts and maintain strong wolf protection!

The undersigned civil society and animal welfare organisations call on EU Member States to reject the European Commission’s proposal to weaken the protection status of wolves under the Bern Convention. We urge you to instead intensify efforts to achieve coexistence with large carnivores, such as wolves and bears.

The wolf is a strictly protected species and must remain so according to scientific evidence. Once nearly extinct due to persecution, hunting and habitat destruction, wolves have made a remarkable comeback to Europe’s landscapes, due to the legal protection granted by international and EU law, as well as the efforts of competent environmental authorities, farmers, scientists, NGOs, and local communities. However, their populations are still far from being in a good and viable conservation status (1). The latest IUCN assessment shows that six out of nine transboundary wolf populations in the EU are vulnerable or nearthreatened. Lowering their protection now would put the species at greater risk and undermine the EU’s legal requirement to achieve viable and stable wolf populations.

At present, there is no scientific basis to support an EU-wide modification of the existing legislation. The wolf’s recovery is still ongoing, and the main objectives of both the Bern Convention and the Habitats Directive (i.e. to ensure the restoration and conservation of endangered species) have not yet been reached. Additionally, and as confirmed in the Commission’s in-depth analysis, there is no scientific evidence that culling effectively reduces depredation on farmed animals. The objective of the Commission proposal is to reduce such wolf depredation, but there is no scientific evidence on the effectiveness of culling to achieve this. In fact, it could even be counterproductive, and increase attacks on farmed animals since it risks disrupting the wolves’ social structure.

The Commission’s proposal comes at a time of ongoing efforts to achieve coexistence between local communities and wolf populations. Over the past decade, the EU and its Member States have invested significant time and resources to enhance coexistence. This is facilitated by several EU and regional platforms, and successful LIFE-funded projects showcasing mutually beneficial solutions in the short and longer term. The proposition to reduce wolf protection undermines all those efforts and investments. It would be a shift away from the EU’s goal of achieving harmonious coexistence between humans and large carnivores.

We acknowledge the challenges that arise from the return of the wolf in some EU regions, and the impact it can have on individual farmers and animal owners. Therefore, stepping up efforts to make existing prevention measures, such as fencing, guarding dogs and reinforcing human presence, more accessible for animal owners and supporting them with the appropriate prevention tools is essential. Efforts should be maintained to adapt existing solutions to their needs. Moving away from a coexistence approach towards lowering of the protection of the wolf would ignore all the farmers who have invested in and are successfully protecting their herds from wolves for years.

It is essential to recognise that safeguarding wolves in Europe goes beyond protecting a single species; it involves preserving biodiversity and fostering a balanced living together with nature. Wolves play a vital role in ecosystem stability. Their return to regions from which they had once been eradicated marks a significant conservation achievement. In the current global biodiversity crisis, we cannot risk compromising this progress.

Recent surveys indicate strong public support across Member States for maintaining stringent protections and promoting coexistence with wolves, even among rural communities most affected by the presence of large carnivores. Wolves are an integral part of our shared European heritage and landscapes.

Rather than diminishing wolf protection, the EU should instead:

Maintain and enhance efforts to promote coexistence between wolves and local communities, emphasising prevention measures to reduce depredation on farmed animals and improving compensation schemes. Many Member States should make better use of existing information on co-existence measures, good practice examples and available EU funding opportunities.
Ensure proper enforcement of the existing legal protection provided by the EU Habitats Directive across all Member States and eliminate illegal hunting of wolves. Member States must deter environmental crimes, not legalise them, as confirmed in a recent case of the Court of Justice of the European Union (2).
Support initiatives to raise citizen awareness and provide accurate, science-based information about wolves to the public, including on the ecosystem and socioeconomic benefits provided by large carnivores, and the appropriate behaviour in case of an encounter. EU citizens have the right to be well-informed.
Respect the due scientific process enshrined in EU nature conservation legislation. According to Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, Member States will submit their conservation status assessment in 2025. Any discussion on the protection status must be based on those reports, and not be based on political pressure.

Downgrading legal protections for the wolf would not only hamper conservation efforts, but also go against strong public support and scientific evidence favouring wolf conservation in Europe. Furthermore, the politically motivated proposal of the European Commission severely risks creating a precedent for other species and opening the door to other changes in EU Nature Laws. This would lead to legal uncertainty and set back years of effective conservation efforts across the continent. Such a move would seriously tarnish the EU’s reputation as a leader in environmental protection.

Wolf populations in the EU are in unfavourable or inadequate conservation status in six out of seven biogeographical regions according to the most recent assessments done under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive.
Judgment of 11 July 2024, WWF Österreich and Others, Case C-601/22, ECLI:EU:C:2024:595.

Original version available here

“At the heart of felines” in the Tarn region: a ‘refuge’ that looks just like… a circus!

“At the heart of felines” in the Tarn region: a ‘refuge’ that looks just like… a circus!
18.09.2024
“At the heart of felines” in the Tarn region: a ‘refuge’ that looks just like… a circus!
Circuses

In early June, we were alerted to the opening of a new park in the Tarn region. On its Facebook page, the establishment “At the heart of felines” boasts about “raising awareness of respect for and conservation of wildlife”. Given the photos posted online – enclosures and stools strangely resembling circus equipment; tigers cubs inside a house, on a sofa, others bottle-fed instead of being with their mothers – we wanted to know more. Our investigation reveals a completely different reality, far removed from animal welfare and species conservation.

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A refuge? With whips, screams and humiliating acts

We’re told of a project to build a refuge for circus felines on several hectares of land, while remaining very opaque about the source of funds: the construction will be carried out without collecting donations, without applying for subsidies, and without charging for visits. One wonders how and when the project will see the light of day.

In the meantime, Maya, Thor and Malish, the two tigers and the trainer’s lion, are still locked in a tiny enclosure with a truck for shelter. For the audience’s amusement, they are threatened with sticks and made to climb on stools, walk on two legs and jump over each other. It’s all very natural behavior… in a circus tent.

“Educational refuge” means educating people about the great felines that are tigers and lions. Letting them live a stress-free life, without subduing them for the sake of entertainment. Touching, kissing wild animals and making them jump on stools under the threat of blows is anything but educational, and sends out the wrong message. Muriel Arnal President of One Voice

Like Jungle Park (now closed) and Parc-Saint-Léger, “At the heart of felines” is a settled circus. The animals are trained and caged, and are expected to perform no matter what happens to them.

When the state distorts the spirit of the law to the detriment of animals

This is one of the many false pretenses of the November 30, 2021 law. Banning the keeping of wild species in traveling circuses by 2028, while allowing these same circuses to settle down and continue exploiting these animals in exactly the same cruel and senseless way today. Worse still, our leaders encourage this practice: in the summer of 2023, a ministerial decree created an equivalence between circus and zoo certificates of competence, even though the regulatory standards for zoos are different. Once again, circus performers get a special favor, in violation of the law. When will the government stop adapting the law to its whims?

The State has a duty to help the lions, tigers, elephants, hippos, etc. held in circuses by demanding their placement in sanctuaries and funding the construction of such places. They announced it, but were they lying? It’s outrageous to let animals from endangered species, whose suffering due to training and captivity is the subject of a worldwide consensus, languish on the pretext that cage trucks remain parked in the same place.

Indre prefect circumvents laws to kill wild boars en masse. We attack!

Indre prefect circumvents laws to kill wild boars en masse. We attack!
18.09.2024
Indre
Indre prefect circumvents laws to kill wild boars en masse. We attack!
Hunting

The prefect of the Indre region has taken a further step in the elimination of wild boar populations: he has just authorized “affinity” beats, a notion completely made up by him to enable lieutenants of louveterie and pests to kill as many as they please, for seven months throughout the region. We are bringing an urgent legal action against this decree before the Limoges administrative court. Hearing on September 19, 2024 at 9:30 am.

In the Indre region, wild boars are targeted everywhere, all the time. For them, there is no respite: they can be hunted from June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025, and are classified as “ESOD”, which means that any landowner can ask to have them shot if they are on his land. What’s more, in certain “sensitive areas”, they can even be shot at night in April and May. In short, a life spent dodging hunters’ bullets.

But that wasn’t enough for the prefect, who has just decided that, for seven months, the lieutenants of louveterie and pests, hunters commissioned by the State, will be able to organize as many beats as they wish themselves. Yet the law is clear: each administrative beat hunt must be the subject of a specific prefectoral decree, which must be limited in time and geographically targeted.

“Affinity beats” to circumvent the laws

The prefect has entirely fabricated the concept of “affinity beats”, a notion that exists nowhere in the law. The aim of this strategy is to enable lieutenants of louveterie and pests to decide freely on the modalities and timing of the beats, without having to comply with regulatory constraints, and – above all? – without having to adopt a specific decree for each beat, which we could attack… A strategy which seems to be developing within the prefectures, in the image of the decree of the prefect of the Ain region authorizing the massacre of badgers, which we attacked.

By authorizing these operations for seven months without justification or limits, the prefect of the Indre region is paving the way for an organized massacre of wild boars. It’s yet another slide that could well become widespread if it isn’t quickly stopped. We are therefore taking the case to the Limoges administrative court!

Sign for a radical reform of hunting Sign for a radical reform of hunting Sign for a radical reform of hunting Sign for a radical reform of hunting Sign for a radical reform of hunting Sign for a radical reform of hunting Sign for a radical reform of hunting Sign for a radical reform of hunting Sign for a radical reform of hunting Sign for a radical reform of hunting