Return of traditional hunting: new hearing against the State's obstinacy
Skylarks, golden plovers, lapwings… For years, they were subjected to the horror of traditional hunting. Thanks to our efforts, the courts have definitively buried these outdated practices. But for the past two years, the government has chosen to force them through by reauthorizing them via pseudo-“scientific experiments”. In 2023, we obtained an emergency suspension of captures in the Ardennes region. On March 26 at 10 a.m., the administrative court of Châlons-en-Champagne will examine our request against this decree.
Archaic, cruel, and illegal traditions
Coating a branch with glue and waiting for a thrush to stick to it and agonize for hours. Capturing a golden plover, a species classified as “near threatened” by the IUCN, making them cry out to attract other golden plovers and then pulling the nets shut violently on them. Collecting them and then killing them. This is the reality of the “traditional” practices that were authorized for decades in the name of a morbid pastime.
The battle was long, from the Council of State to the Court of Justice of the European Union, but after dozens of proceedings, conducted in parallel with the LPO, the courts ruled in our favor, canceling, since 2018, the ministerial decrees setting quotas for birds that could be killed, then definitively banning glue traps in 2021, “tendelles” (stone traps) in 2023, and cages and nets in 2024.
The State remains stubborn in its opposition to birds and justice
As we know, the authorities, from the President of the Republic to the prefects, are prepared to do anything to satisfy the demands of this all too powerful minority. In 2023, they launched “experiments” in five departments, entrusted to hunters—those great scientists—to circumvent the court decisions confirmed year after year and reauthorize these cruel practices. The aim of this maneuver was to challenge the decisions already handed down by the judges in court once again.
Two years ago, we obtained an emergency halt to these pseudo-studies in the Ardennes, Gironde, and Lot-et-Garonne regions. However, in the Landes and Pyrénées-Atlantiques regions, the judge did not agree with us, and these captures for the purpose of killing were also authorized the following year.
On March 26 at 10 a.m., the administrative court of Châlons-en-Champagne will hold its hearing on the 2023 decree issued by the prefect of the Ardennes. Because traditions can never justify animal suffering and contempt for justice, we will continue to fight against these archaic practices, which are condemned by 83% of French people. Together, let us continue to demand a radical reform of hunting!
Attempt to rehabilitate traditional hunting: the Prefect of the Ardennes was sanctioned!
After suspending it as a matter of urgency in 2023, the courts have definitively annulled the decree authorizing the return of traditional hunting in the Ardennes region under the guise of a pseudo “scientific experiment” entrusted to hunters.
This sends a clear message to all prefects who are tempted, including in other regions, to circumvent the law to allow a small minority to massacre birds: traditional hunting is over!
The hearing at the administrative court of Châlons-en-Champagne has been postponed until April 25, 2025, at 10 a.m.