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The unbearable persecution of mountain Galliformes meets our resistance!

The unbearable persecution of mountain Galliformes meets our resistance!
29.09.2023
France
The unbearable persecution of mountain Galliformes meets our resistance!
Wildlife

Between mid-September and the beginning of October in the mountainous areas of France, mountain Galliformes have been in hunters’ and prefectures’ line of fire. The hunting period for these six emblematic species from the Alps and Pyrenees is open from three weeks to two months. Because this hobby that some people practise will never justify the killing hundreds of animals, we are asking for an urgent suspension of the prefectural decrees.Four emergency interim hearings are set in the coming days in Grenoble and Pau.

Birds wiped out, but hunting them is still authorised

In the heights of the Alps, a family of birds with unique plumage, changing from mottled brown in summer to white in winter, walk around peacefully. The parents live together for several months and are accompanied by their young. All is calm when, suddenly, a gunshot breaks the silence. The snow is stained with blood; those that survive take flight and a shooter comes to collect the remains of their prey. Rock ptarmigans, like all mountain Galliformes, are killed one by one.

Prefects try to hide behind calculations, caps, and other quotas to justify the unjustifiable: continuing with relentless hunting for the sole pleasure of an ultra-minority and far too influential group. But behind each bird killed is a flock, meaning that the whole species is threatened. Slaughtering is everywhere: no more black grouse in the Ardennes or Franche-Comté, no more grouse in Languedoc-Roussillon, and a situation of near extinction in Alsace and Auvergne where populations of rock partridges are increasingly confined to the tops of the mountain ranges…

Pleas in the face of decrees that cannot be defended

In Isère, the Prefect has authorised each hunter to kill two rock ptarmigans and an unlimited number of hazel grouse. That is hundreds, or even thousands, of birds that could therefore be massacred with the State’s approval. In short, it is like Christmas has come early for hunters.

In Haute-Savoie, rock partridges and black grouse are entering a period of many dangers. For the black grouse, the Prefect has not even bothered to set a tally: it was the president of the departmental federation himself who determined the number of individuals to be killed! Once again, animals are getting ready to pay with their lives for the uncontrolled power of this lobby and the wrongful abstention of the State.

And these plans are repeated in all Alpine and Pyrenean departments… By acting in this way, prefects sign decrees to kill thousands of animals who simply want to live peacefully in the mountain ranges that are their last refuges. We will be present at the Grenoble Administrative Tribunal on 2 October at 10:30am (Isère), on 5 October at 1:30pm (Haute-Savoie), and on 10 October at 10am (Savoie) for them, and at the Pau Administrative Tribunal on 4 October at 3pm (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

Never mind the government’s opinion, One Voice continues its fight for wolves

Never mind the government’s opinion, One Voice continues its fight for wolves
29.09.2023
France
Never mind the government’s opinion, One Voice continues its fight for wolves
Wildlife

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.

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 defense 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

Forced swimming: a long-term battle

Forced swimming: a long-term battle
27.09.2023
France
Forced swimming: a long-term battle
Animal testing

Since we discovered that a project involving inflicting electric shocks and forced swimming tests on hundreds of rats had been authorised, we have been trying to find out more, obtain footage of similar projects already carried out in France, and to motivate businesses and French universities to commit against this test. To face resistance from authorities, One Voice is referring to administrative tribunals.

The forced swimming test is one of the most criticised practices in animal testing nowadays. Not only have businesses and universities committed to no longer authorise its use globally for several years, but an Australian parliamentary committee has recently taken an interest in asking for it to be abolished. Closer to home, a British committee on the scientific use of animals has received numerous requests regarding this test. But either way, authorities’ responses clearly lack ambition and imagination.

Authorities and their waffle

In France, authorities are still less receptive. The Ministry of Research has already confirmed the existence of the project that we condemned to the media, all while qualifying it with the usual reassurances of ethical committees following the ‘strictest regulations in the world’: a response void of any content and that you would probably also receive if you wrote to the Ministry.

Not content with having passed the buck, the Ministry continues to authorise projects involving stressful and painful situations for animals, but also the forced swimming test. In November 2022, a project was approved that would subject more than 3000 mice to various stressful procedures in order to make them depressed in different ways. Forced swimming is part of a range of tests destined to assess the value of these depression ‘models’.

We would like more information

Our letter did not only contain an allegation. It also asked the Ministry to provide us with the documents containing the details of the project and on the deliberation by the ethical committee that approved it.

The Ministry has refused to grant our request. We contacted the French Committee for Access to Administrative Documents [Commission d’accès aux documents administratifs (Cada)] who proved us right. But with the Ministry still turning a deaf ear, we had to resort to the Administrative Tribunal – a lengthy and fastidious procedure, but one which will force the administration to provide us with the requested documents.

Forced swimming footage in France

But can these same laws be applied to obtain the footage taken in laboratories by the research teams themselves? While footage of forced swimming is relatively rare on the Internet, a fortiori
when it comes to France, we have asked three university teams to provide us with the videos of forced swimming that they have taken.

The first claimed to have already deleted them, which raises questions about the transparency of the research and open science, important concepts in the 21st century. The second did not bother to reply at first, then said that they too have already deleted the videos from 2012 to 2017. And finally, the third tried to refuse to send us the footage due to… copyright! As though videos of standardised tests would constitute an original approach to the point of it being elevated to intellectual creation rank in the eyes of the law.

Administrative tribunals must make a decision.

Sign to put an end to the forced swimming test

One Voice’s campaign against the forced swimming test:

Electric shocks and forced swimming in France in 2022 (13/06/2022)
Forced swimming: footage (17/06/2022)
Forced swimming: the businesses moving forward and the industry that resists (16/08/2022)
Forced swimming: other approaches are possible (08/11/2022)
Forced swimming: a long-term battle

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

Orcas at Marineland: One Voice has succeeded in having an independent expert assessment arranged!

Orcas at Marineland: One Voice has succeeded in having an independent expert assessment arranged!
21.09.2023
Alpes-Maritimes
Orcas at Marineland: One Voice has succeeded in having an independent expert assessment arranged!
Exploitation for shows

We could say that this is a victory for justice. This morning, One Voice has succeeded with what they have been asking the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal for: for an independent expert assessment of the state of Inouk and Moana the orcas, and of the infrastructures at the Marineland park in Antibes where they are kept along with Wikie and Keijo. A decision that we hope will allow clarity to be given on their state of health and to contribute to allowing them a life far away from shows and concrete pools.

To support our case on appeal, we have provided the courts with expert reports from Drs Ingrid Visser, Naomi Rose, and David Perpiñan, which highlight the detrimental state of health of the two oldest males in the group, accompanied by videos of the orcas and pools taken from above and by the poolside showing the potential underlying and, in the eyes of the association, outrageous problems. Inouk’s tooth pulp is damaged due to her biting at the concrete pool. According to scientists, the pain is constant.

In the first instance, the case file presented by One Voice was rejected. With these new elements, the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal has granted our request for an independent expert assessment to be carried out. A balanced and sensible decision that we approve of.

What future?

For us, it is now a matter of seeing what can possibly be done in terms of alternatives so that the four French orcas are not sent to a Japanese dolphinarium (or any other place where they would still be exploited). A never-ending journey for the animals that have never left the water in these pools in Antibes, with their suffering also having been linked to the effects of gravity on their organs. The fact that they would be separated is also detrimental to their balance given that these four orcas form a real family, the only one in captivity that we know of. Yet, in the wild, orcas spend their whole lives with their families. A few days ago, One Voice also published a report on Wikie, the female and matriarch of the group, whose health also concerns us. We have written to the Japanese authorities about her.

For years, we have also been working on supporting and implementing alternative solutions to those set out by Parques Reunidos (owner of Marineland Antibes) with all of our partners on a European and global level. The solution of a sanctuary would require Marineland to accept our helping hand and work with us on mutual understanding for the future of these orcas. Until now, the park has refused to speak or respond to anyone from One Voice.

The ‘animal protection’ law of 2021 plans for orcas to be sent to a marine sanctuary, with our structure being under construction. However, the Ministry of Ecology seems to be doing everything they can to get rid of the animals before making clear decrees. In the orcas’ case, as for circus elephants, this law is worse than a status quo.

Our determination to find a better life for Inouk, Moana, Wikie, and Keijo is unfailing. Sign our petition!

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

Foxes, rooks, crows: endless persecution in Nièvre and Jura

Foxes, rooks, crows: endless persecution in Nièvre and Jura
21.09.2023
France
Foxes, rooks, crows: endless persecution in Nièvre and Jura
Wildlife

In Nièvre and Jura, the Prefects are targeting foxes, rooks, and black crows, which are already classified as ‘likely to cause damage’. These animals can be killed wherever and whenever! As if this is not enough, the Prefects in these two departments have implemented administrative hunts to massacre more and more. Faced with this incomprehensible stubbornness, we are defending these unloved animals tooth and nail in court. We are now awaiting the hearing dates of the Dijon Administrative Tribunal and the Nancy Administrative Appeals Court.

The news is very gloomy for ‘species likely to cause damage’. The release of the ministerial decree of 3 August 2023 approved an extension of the right to unlimited killing of foxes, weasels, martens, stone martens, Eurasian jays, Eurasian magpies, common starlings, black crows, and rooks. We have attacked this shameful list while hoping that the State Council will rule in favour of these animals that are still wrongly considered by some as ‘pests’. And, as the persecution against these unloved animals has no limit, Prefects do not hesitate to go further by ordering administrative hunts, which authorise the killing of these animals all year round, wherever and whenever! Examples of this are in Nièvre and Jura.

In Nièvre, killing foxes… to maintain a monopoly on the massacre of farmed pheasants and partridges!

In this department, foxes are used as targets by the Prefect. In the summer of 2022, he passed several decrees authorising administrative hunts in 22 towns for a duration of two months, including the use of night shooting. A true nightmare for these animals who are already hunted with guns and dug out of their burrows as part of the sadistic practice that is underground hunting with hounds.

The reason for these killings? To ensure that the foxes do not touch the pheasants and partridges released by hunters who aim to kill them later! Hunters want to eliminate all competition, and especially that of other animals… And it doesn’t matter that foxes are crop aids and also help to limit the spread of Lyme disease, and that they are fully capable of regulating their own population by themselves. Yet more proof of the total absurdity of these methods that only aim to protect the interests of an all too powerful lobby.

In Jura, the Tribunal proved us right, but the Prefect persists and has appealed!

In Jura, on 23 June, the Tribunal cancelled a decision authorising a large-scale administrative hunt on black crows and rooks. Hardly any consolation for the hundreds of birds killed completely illegally. But the administration resolutely does not want them to have any respite. For a few days, we have known that the Prefect has decided to contest this decision.

This stubbornness has one objective: to allow decrees to be passed authorising animals to be hunted without even having to organise a public consultation! In short, organising methodical killing without anyone being able to voice their opposition. The Prefect can count on us to defend them all with all we have in front of the administrative court of appeal.

At this stage, it is no longer even about the hunts, but quite simply about the persecution of these species that are accused of all evils. We will not let ourselves be deterred by the Prefectures’ and hunters’ untruthful arguments, who still believe that yet more of these animals should be killed.

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

Animals’ heads torn off: One Voice reveals its investigation footage on the goose neck game

Animals’ heads torn off: One Voice reveals its investigation footage on the goose neck game
19.09.2023
Puy-de-Dôme
Animals’ heads torn off: One Voice reveals its investigation footage on the goose neck game
Exploitation for shows

On 17 September 2023, we went to investigate at the goose neck festival organised in Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom, in Puy-de-Dôme. To mark their passage into adulthood, ten young men tore the head off twenty geese, chickens, and rabbits that were killed for the occasion to cheers from the public. We are asking for a ban throughout France on this barbaric practice.

Young people all smiles, laughter, music… you could almost believe this was a good-natured party. Until we notice the rope stretched horizontally where twenty animals have been hung from. Geese, chickens, and rabbits whose lifeless bodies hang in the air were killed especially to be subjected to the most degrading treatment and to entertain the inhabitants of Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom. So how were they killed? Like in the Basque country: “either we drown them or we open their mouths and stick a knife in them”.

An extremely violent event

The ‘fête’ begins when a couple of these young men who have turned 18 that year pass under the rope, sitting in pairs on the back of a horse. With their arms raised, they hit the goose which hangs above them. The most violent blows send the animal’s head into the air before it falls, dangling limply at the end of its white neck. As if this French piñata were not sinister enough, the women make a second pass under the rope, alone, to kiss the bird, sometimes pulling on its neck so hard that it seems close to dislocating. At the height of the action: the men then tear off the heads of the geese, rabbits, and chickens with their bare hands before brandishing them while singing joyfully to the crowd. What better way is there to enter adulthood and ensure a promising future than these abject acts and the accompanying degrading spectacle? Of course, these beings are lifeless, but they are still animals.

A ‘tradition’ that creates victims each year

This is not the first time that we have condemned this barbaric ‘tradition’ which is still very much alive in certain French villages. We did so in August 2022, when a goose was mutilated in Beaux, then in August 2023 in Arfeuilles, where the decapitation was carried out using a sabre… The organizers defend themselves by boasting that they are not cutting off the heads of living animals. But they don’t seem to mind having them killed beforehand to allow their corpses to be torn apart. Here we are dealing with a practice dating from the Middle Ages that trivialises animal abuse and establishes it as a real rite of passage to adulthood. This initiation should be done without incitement to cruelty. Does our society really need this? The festival committee, organiser of the event, does not even take responsibility: the program for the day does not even say who they are.

To ask for a ban on the goose neck ‘game’ throughout France for all of the geese, chickens, rabbits, and ducks killed and decapitated every year, and for the protection of our youth who represent and constitute the future of our society, sign our petition.

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

The worrying state of health of orcas Wikie and Keijo at Marineland Antibes

The worrying state of health of orcas Wikie and Keijo at Marineland Antibes
18.09.2023
Alpes-Maritimes
The worrying state of health of orcas Wikie and Keijo at Marineland Antibes
Exploitation for shows

Sub-dermal lesions, teeth worn right down, stereotypical behaviours… On 17 June 2023, marine biologist Ingrid Visser observed Wikie and Keijo in the pools at Marineland Antibes, revealing the very visible manifestations of their pitiful state of health. Her findings push us more than ever to request that these last four “French” orcas are placed in a sanctuary.

Photo: Wikie, Marineland, Antibes, June 2023. Orca Research Trust

In twenty-two years of existing, Wikie has lever left the Marineland establishment. She saw her young parents die, her adoptive mother, Freya, then her half-brother Valentin, with the shows in which she is forced to participate leaving her without the slightest bit of respite. Today, she has to share her shows with her brother Inouk and his sons Moana and Keijo. All of this to have the right to a few handfuls of dead fish.

In the chlorinated water prisons where they were born, it is impossible for them to swim without restraint, dive down deep, or feed freely. Stress and boredom condemn them to doing the same actions obsessively, leading them to the brink of madness. Who would dare to claim that Wikie and Keijo, born from incest between his mother and his uncle, are in good health, when we have seen them repeating the same circular swim endlessly or putting their heads out of the water with their mouth open and constantly rolling their tongue as only a nursing baby would do in the wild?

Their bodies worn away by captivity

Through stereotypical behaviours, the orcas end up being injured right down into their flesh. Specialists had already sounded the alarm in previous reports, notably for Moana, who Dr. Gallego had gone so far as to ask for urgent veterinary intervention for. This was in 2021. Since, nothing has been done to relieve the family from the suffering of captivity. Worse, while Ingrid Visser has just documented Wikie and Keijo’s subdermal lesions similar to Moana’s and concerning dental erosion, the four orcas risk being sent to Japan, where their exploitation will continue until they die from it. We will never abandon them to such a fate.

We are open to discussion with the Marineland and Parques Reunidos management, to whom we have written to see what it is possible to do as an alternative solution to what they seem to be preparing on their side, as well as to the Ministry of the Ecological Transition. We also invite the keepers to give us news about the orcas and dolphins because, if they go to a sanctuary, they will be the first concerned to help the animals that they look after.

So that they can retire and heal from their wounds, we ask that Wikie, Keijo, Moana, and Inouk are prepared to go to one of the marine sanctuaries being built, where they can finally be happy. Join us by signing our petition!

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

Wikie, female orca

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The legal system is trampled all over in the Pyrénées-Orientales: we are counterattacking for the partridges!

The legal system is trampled all over in the Pyrénées-Orientales: we are counterattacking for the partridges!
14.09.2023
Pyrénées-Orientales
The legal system is trampled all over in the Pyrénées-Orientales: we are counterattacking for the partridges!
Wildlife

A few days ago, the Montpellier Administrative Tribunal proved us right and suspended the hunting of grey mountain partridges in the Pyrénées-Orientales before the season even started. As we feared, the Prefect is standing up to the legal system and has just urgently passed a new decree, authorising the killing of nearly 500 birds. We are attacking this decision with an emergency interim proceeding. The hearing will take place on 26 September at 2:30pm at the Montpellier Administrative Tribunal.

Photo: faaf – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

When the Pyrénées-Orientales Prefect wipes his feet with grey mountain partridges…

Although we have obtained a ban on hunting before the season opens on 17 September, the Prefect has passed a new decree on 8 September 2023 (p.52) authorising the massacre of almost 500 birds. This time he has set a limit at department level and in different areas of the land. This hardly matters given the danger these birds face. Yet more proof that hunters have no respect for animals: they want to kill, even if they put their own population’s lives in danger.

It is a repeated full-frontal attack against animals and biodiversity carried out by hunters and the Pyrénées-Orientales Prefecture. Like all mountain Galliformes, grey partridges are classified as being ‘near threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). To put it clearly, this species is likely to disappear in the wild within a few years. The cause, obviously, is climate change, but also hunting, which decimates hundreds of individuals each year.

… and the law!

We are once again stunned by this decision by the State, which continues to allow hunters to satisfy their morbid passion, but which is also ready to trample on a court decision, as it did already for badger digging or even still for traditional hunting.

All too often, the viewpoint of public interest defended by prefects is limited to satisfying the demands of hunters, disregarding animals, and the warning cries of the associations that defend them. Today, it is the grey mountain partridges who are paying with their lives. France kills its birds who are among the biggest victims of the sixth mass extinction at play.

For these emblematic beings from the summits of the Pyrenees, we are attacking this decree with an emergency interim proceeding.

And we invite you now to question the Pyrénées-Orientales Prefect on social media (@Prefet66) and by email (ddtm@pyrenees-orientales.gouv.fr):

Dear Prefect, reverse your decision and repeal the second scandalous decree allowing partridge hunting, that was in fact suspended after a first emergency interim proceeding by @OneVoiceAnimal! https://one-voice.fr/news/la-justice-pietinee-dans-les-pyrenees-orientales-nous-contre-attaquons-pour-les-perdrix/

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

Animal defenders threatened with knives, insulted, and hit by the Muller Circus

Animal defenders threatened with knives, insulted, and hit by the Muller Circus
11.09.2023
Hérault
Animal defenders threatened with knives, insulted, and hit by the Muller Circus
Exploitation for shows

Living life as an animal kept in a circus… What would a celebratory weekend in Pérols near the Muller-Zavatta Circus be without hitting, insults, and threats? This is what the non-violent activists wishing to raise public awareness of the suffering of these animals at the hands of the Muller family’s patriarch were subjected to. A glimpse into the range of circus performers’ ‘methods’ to establish their dominance over others.

Death threats and threats to burn their cars, homophobic insults, misogyny, hitting, kicking…

The protest authorised by the Prefecture covering Pérols, organised by Alliance Éthique, One Voice, and supported by Sète Animal Save and Sèt’Animaliste in Thau, was the scene of a surge of violence by circus performers against people. As per tradition, the trainers, clowns, and Mr Loyal from the Muller-Zavatta Circus once again showed their true colours. Stripped of their makeup and glitter, they were nothing more than threatening and insulting thugs. Edmond Muller was there to hit people and intimidate the activists who were trying to raise public awareness near the circus and had only their beliefs to defend themselves. The rest of the family were standing a short distance away.

We have said this over and over again: this circus, that specifically kept Jumbo, tigers, and monkeys, spends its time standing up to local authorities and committing crimes (defacing, theft, and others).

A circus of thugs, the worst there is in France

Having become, within a few years, a symbol of the worst of what circuses with animals are criticised for, trainers have nonetheless been protected by the government since 2021, and still in recent days with the publication of a ministerial document trampling on the spirit of the law of 2021 on animal mistreatment, and the publication of a decree stating the equivalence of competency certifications for zoos and circuses.

If only the irregularities and non-compliance with regulations were the least of our criticisms against them… but the boss, the family, and the employees of the Muller Circus stand out a little more each day for their contempt for their neighbours, whether humans or animals, elected representatives, or simple citizens.

What must the animals be subjected to when no one can see them or film them, while circus performers do not hesitate to pick up their pitchforks to resist police, driving trucks towards them at high speed, or threatening the Ministry of Ecology or tribunals with killing and slaughtering animals if they take Jumbo, the tigers, and the monkeys? This circus of thugs has been cracking the whip with the support of the State for far too long.

Activists have filed a complaint in particular for the hitting, injuries, and armed violence. The video was sent also to an association fighting homophobia. We condemn these acts of violence and call on the authorities to be extremely inflexible towards these outlaw intimidating individuals. To support us in the fight for Jumbo, sign our petition!

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

The extermination of wolves planned in France and Europe?

The extermination of wolves planned in France and Europe?
11.09.2023
Europe
The extermination of wolves planned in France and Europe?
Wildlife

Authorities have just announced a new estimate of the number of wolves in France after discontent throughout the summer by those opposing these magnificent animals, unsatisfied by the result of the first count. After the initial report from the announcement of the Wolf Plan on a national level, the European Commission urges Member States including France to implement these exemptions – read: slaughtering permissions – to the great satisfaction of the Ministry of Agriculture… Even if this fight is hard, we will never stop fighting for them.

An intensive agricultural system on the mountainside

In recent weeks, wolf critics have had a great time: agricultural groups left a national group meeting to put pressure on. On their side, presidents of the Alps departmental councils were in tears about the ‘growth and threat’.

Their scheme worked so well that a new count was carried out to appease them. What a surprise: the figures revealed on 6 September were changed to a higher number, going from 906 wolves counted in June to 1104, which is almost 200 individuals.

These ‘poor shepherds’ who try to make us believe that they are participating in mountain biodiversity, when in reality they are grazing flocks of several hundred – if not thousands – of sheep in overgrazed meadows, for which the State provides financial aid and compensation on request even though many do not properly protect the animals that depend on them. These farmers who are simply crying over a potential financial loss that they will not be able to sell to the abattoir. And remember that the wolves only take a tiny amount of the herds: they are the cause of only 0.15% of the mortality of ewes and lambs from all causes (diseases, transport accidents, falls, etc.).

After France, wolves are in the EU’s sights

For years, we have been warning the public of the fact that the number of ‘targets’ to slaughtered is constantly increasing – even though their population was half that at the time. Are authorities looking to simply exterminate them again?

New proof of the “power” of the deadly breeder-hunter duo, the President of the European Commission declared at the start of the school year that the packs constitute a “true danger for livestock and, potentially, for humans”, adding to the hysteria that wolves have suffered since the Middle Ages.

Attacks on humans are a myth. The vast majority of those that happened in France in the distant past were carried out by rabid animals, a disease that has now been eradicated. Wolves do not attack humans, as Nicolas Rossignol, a point of contact for the Calanques National Park, explains. As a reminder, 10,000 dog bites are recorded in France each year.

After this string of announcements, the presentation of the new Wolf Plan, which was supposed to take place at the beginning of September, was postponed until the end of the month. By complaining, the agricultural lobby, supported by local elected representatives and even the French President, achieved its goals. The satisfaction of the Ministry of Agriculture does not bode well. Since the start of the year, at least 126 wolves have already been slaughtered: 120 legally and 6 poached.

We are obviously taking part in the consultation organised by the European Commission until 22 September. Nothing will stop us getting these lethal shots stopped. While waiting, sign our petition to call for the end of wolves’ persecution.

Translated from the French by Joely Justice