Western jackdaws: a massacre to be suspended in Morbihan. The hearing is on 25 May in Rennes
1800 to 3000 western jackdaws are in danger of dying in Morbihan. One Voice has filed an emergency interim proceeding and a plea. The emergency interim hearing is on 25 May in Rennes.
We were still wondering not long ago what France could have against these birds, and against corvids in particular. The saga continues… This time, it is the western jackdaws who are the Morbihan Prefect’s target. The Prefect has just authorised the massacre of 1800 of these birds from a protected species, from 26 April until mid-December 2022. And he is not holding back on the possibility of raising this limit to 3000 individuals! One Voice is requesting the annulment and urgent suspension of this decree. The emergency interim proceeding hearing is set for 25 May at 10am at the Rennes Administrative Tribunal.
Edit from 17 May 2022:
The Tribunal decided to move the date of the hearing to 25 May.
The title of the article and the mentions of the previously announced date have been changed.
As usual — you would think the prefectural decrees were copied and pasted from each other regardless of the department — the reasons cited are “significant harm to crops”. However, this damage is in strong decline in relation to last year and nothing indicates that western jackdaws are responsible for it. To support these arguments, we have a study that opposes the Prefecture.
Change agricultural practices, understand the species better, and find alternatives to killing
In this study, two components are equally highlighted.
On one hand, the need to find alternative solutions to slaughtering animals. The relevance of this ‘solution’ must be called into question (many studies have in fact highlighted the ineffective or even counter-productive character of these massacres carried out by humans). On the other hand, that it is vital to better understand the species to provide responses to fight against any potential damage, before it happens.
She also mentions several possibilities of evolving agricultural practices.
A sizeable ally
These components are taken up by the Regional Scientific Council for Natural Heritage [CSRPN] who gave an unfavourable opinion of this decree. We are therefore not alone in supporting this point of view.
Distorting the study according to one’s own interests: the end for justifying means?
The Prefecture only refers to the estimate of the population in the Department appearing in the March 2022 study to justify the limit of 1800 birds, while the study clearly indicates that this estimate cannot be used as a basis to define a ‘harvest’ quota!
Fledglings risk agony!
Additionally, these demolitions are going to occur right in the middle of the nesting and rearing period of the young. We recall that according to the European Union Court of Justice, animal welfare must be taken into account by the authority who grants the exemption… so, by the Prefecture. Indeed, in the framework of these ‘demolitions’ by shooting, the jackdaws who will not be killed by a shot will be in agony, just like the babies whose parents will be killed are condemned to die of hunger.
All of these reasons have led us to request the urgent suspension of this decree authorising the massive and imminent culling of thousands of birds from — what is more! — a protected species and which launches a serious attack on their welfare! We are also asking for the annulment of this decree via a fundamental appeal which will be judged later. The emergency interim proceeding judge has set the hearing date for 25 May at the Rennes Administrative Tribunal.
Photo: hedera.baltica – CC BY-SA 2.0
Translated from the French by Joely Justice