Shooting permit

Authority orders forced killing of swans

Swan family on a meadow next to the Enns River near Garsten.

(Bild: zVg)

The district authority of Steyr-Land gave in to the appeals of farmers and issued a permit for the shooting of several young mute swans in Garsten. Animal rights activists are outraged by this and are offering the targeted waterfowl relocation and asylum.

The district authority of Steyr-Land has authorized the shooting of five one-year-old mute swans in Garsten. The background: a handful of farmers had complained about increasing damage (several thousand euros) to meadows and suggested the official compulsory order.

Overcooked meadows
The population of mute swans had risen sharply on the left bank of the Enns in recent years. During a site inspection by the authorities, dozens of swans were found in the area. In addition to damage caused by feeding, grass plants were also trampled down and overcooked so that they could no longer be fed to livestock.

A family of swans in a meadow next to the River Enns near Garsten.

(Bild: zVg)

According to the district authority, only a combination of compulsory shooting and deterrence can effectively contain the damage to agricultural land.

The mute swan is protected all year round in accordance with Section 1 of the Upper Austrian Closed Season Ordinance 2007.

Michaela Lehner, Juristin des Wiener Tierschutzvereins

However, this decision has caused outrage among animal rights activists: "You don't have to kill swans immediately when problems arise. First of all, an attempt should be made to drive them away," says retired teacher Doris Adami (66), who has been documenting the population of water birds along the River Enns for years.

Complaint against the decision
"Most people are shocked when they hear that swans are being shot. We would immediately take in the animals that have become a nuisance in Garsten," explains Jürgen Stadler from Pfotenhilfe Lochen. Michaela Lehner from the Vienna Animal Welfare Association also suggests capturing and relocating a number of swans.

The lawyer has therefore lodged a written appeal against the decision to kill the swans. "We are applying for lenient measures to be taken - because these are the primary means to be used." The compulsory cull order is valid until May 31, 2024. Lehner: "That also coincides with the swans' breeding season!"

Kommentar

Der sterbende Schwan

For many people, the swan is a special bird. On the one hand, it stands for light and purity, while on the other it symbolizes the end of life. For example, the last works of an artist or the last words of a politician are referred to as a swan song. Since ancient times, the water bird has also been attributed a power of prophecy.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Alexander Schwarzl, Markus Wenzel)

In Schwanenstadt, swans are part of the town's coat of arms and in Gmunden, a swan is the town's emblem. In Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, the ugly duckling becomes a beautiful swan, and Tchaikovsky even dedicated a ballet to the animal. And they are shot in Garsten. . .