The Council of State suspended the hunting of the turtledove for the 2020-2021 season.
The Ministry of Ecological Transition issued a decree on August 28 authorizing the shooting of 17,460 of these birds, despite the opposition of several associations.
The Council of State on Friday suspended for the 2020-2021 season the hunting of the turtledove, a bird whose population has collapsed in Europe, going against the will of the government.
The Ministry of Ecological Transition issued an order on August 28 authorizing the shooting of 17,460 wood doves, despite the opposition of several associations including the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO), which brought the case to the Board of state.
The execution of this decree "is suspended", announces the Council of State in its decision.
Fall of 80% of the population of this bird
This migratory bird, whose population has fallen by 80% in Europe over the past 40 years, is the subject of adaptive species management measures in France.
The number of animals that can be killed is set after scientific expertise on the conservation status of each species.
A scientific committee recommended in 2019 to no longer hunt the turtledove, or, at worst, to kill 1.3% of the estimated numbers in France, or 18,300 birds.
The summary judge notes "that the species has decreased by nearly 80% in 15 years, that experts recommend the ban on the hunting of this wild bird and that the government has not provided any evidence to justify its authorization, "according to a statement.