Wildlife forever a commodity, One Voice is a co-complainant against a ministerial order
The state is simplifying the formalities of keeping wild animals, which leads to all types of abuse by promoting their commodification. One Voice and its partners attack this ministerial order.
One Voice and its partners have filed an appeal against the State Council to suspend the ministerial decree of the 8th October 2018 called “captive wildlife”, which modifies the Biodiversity law, by reducing and facilitating the formalities previously ensuring controls to guarantee the protection and a minimum of welfare for wild animals held captive. This very technical and therefore difficult to access order has gone through completely unnoticed, while it will inevitably have serious consequences.
Between the resignation of the minister Nicolas Hulot, the eleven decrees concerning “birds” or the injuries and homicides due to hunting, this decree passed by entirely unnoticed. But what the State Council introduces is all the more serious as the population wants to see stronger protection for animals, including wild animals, but there is a regression in this good standing. A written question to the National Assembly sent in mid-December will also be submitted to the Minister of the ecological and solidarity transition on January 15th2019, in regard to this regression. François de Rugy will have to answer this question and we will not be satisfied with double speak or empty speeches.
Probably without prior consideration of the services of the minster on their protection, many species will see the terms of their captivity radically simplified, including that of the vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered species of animals. In parallel with this, the trafficking of exotic animals continues to grow, it is the third world after that of drugs and weapons … Why does the executive make so many decisions going against animals, who are dramatically in decline?
The animals concerned are becoming increasingly rare in nature, their market value is increased tenfold, for the benefit of collectors and merchants whose trade is now facilitated.
It is the legalization of the most lucrative trafficking in the world, which favours collectors and other commercial captive activities, all at the expense of the welfare and protection of the animals concerned, which are then purchased as animal “companions” much more easily, such as lion cubs, exhibited in particular on social networks by celebrities.
No formality constrains the holders of these juvenile animals, whatever their species!
If it is not countered attacked, this decree may give new opportunities for lion cubs to be born in circuses, an additional form of exploitation. This is an open door to all abuses in terms of animal protection… and dangerous for humans, because of their wild nature.
For some birds, whose species is classified as seriously in danger of extinction, whose populations is estimated at less than 50 individuals on the planet, humans can own up to 10 at a time! No birth control is imposed either… What traceability and what controls can be made from now on?
The text even goes so far as to render obsolete the last ramparts of protection of these species. No longer a need for a certificate of competence to obtain them, a simple declaration on the internet is enough.
Sit tight, the baleen whales and even other whales are concerned, this is all absolute nonsense! Anyone can own one. We are literally swimming in delusion.
These are huge sales in wildlife, we are totally against this!
Instead of tightening its protection policy to combat this scourge of wildlife trafficking, and to prohibit their reproduction in captivity, the State creates all the conditions for the perpetuation of misery and exploitation of wild animals in the wild through these commercial channels!
We are presented with this “captive wildlife” order, simplified so therefore progress. But it allows for abuse and at all excesses: it does not take into account the principle of non-regression or scientific knowledge of wild animals, and is not in line with current environmental principles.
We challenge the legality of this decree “laying down general rules for the keeping of non-domestic animals”, and consider that it endangers local and foreign biodiversity. ONE VOICE therefore attacks the State Council along with BIOME, CENTER ATHENAS, and SEA SHEPHERD FRANCE. The hearing will take place on 17th January 2019 at 3.00 pm.