After protests

Turtle doves: end to shooting next year

Turtle doves are regarded as a sign of love, but are under serious threat.

(Bild: APA/BIRDLIFE/HANS-MARTIN BERG)

As reported, there is an outcry from animal rights activists about the hunting of turtle doves. This is only permitted in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland. This is now set to change, at least in part.

In the easternmost federal state, the closed season ended a few days ago. According to Gabor Wichmann, Managing Director of Birdlife, bird populations have fallen by 71 percent since 1998. The turtle dove is red on the bird protection organization's priority list. This means "top priority for bird conservation - urgent need for protection and action".

Habitat is disappearing
The lack of suitable habitats is cited as the main reason for their disappearance. Hunting also plays a role. According to official figures, 793 turtle doves have been shot in Lower Austria in the last five years. From the hunters' point of view, however, there are completely different ecologically plausible causes: "The main reason for the decline of the species is the ever-increasing protection of predators, which can only be countered by hunting through the reduction of unprotected predatory game. Birds of prey prey on turtle doves, clutches are plundered by corvids and climbing species such as martens and invasive raccoons."

The end of hunting
At least hunting will soon no longer play a role in Burgenland. In January 2024, a wildlife regulation will be enacted which stipulates that pigeons, known as a sign of love, will be protected all year round in future. This year's hunt will therefore be the last. According to the office of the responsible provincial councillor Leo Schneemann, however, there have hardly been any culls in the past.

The ball is in the court of other federal states
"Now Vienna and Lower Austria must also take action so that they do not soon appear on the turtle dove map as the only death zone in the whole of Central Europe", Madeleine Petrovic, President of Tierschutz Austria, makes a very clear demand to politicians.