Italian Government Allows Turtledove Hunts

Italian officials have given approval for hunting the European turtle dove for fall 2021, Bird Guides reported. With 500,000 licensed hunters in the country and 1.5 doves allowed per hunter, 7.5 million birds are vulnerable to the hunting.

Estimates put the allowed quota of the majority of the breeding population of the dove. The population decline of the turtle dove has been documented across Europe, due to a combination of hunting and agriculture.

Axel Hirschfeld, a spokesperson for the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), said, “Hunting of this species is not sustainable and will accelerate the decline until no birds are left. Driven by their selfish hobby, Italian hunters do not want to renounce their beloved prey. The Federcaccia Italia, a member of FACE, the European Hunting Federation, has been lobbying strongly to continue blasting the very last turtle doves from the sky.”

The IUCN Red List upgraded the European Turtle Dove’s status from Least Concern to Vulnerable in 2015. The IUCN Red List noted the birds had declined 78% since 1980.

Read more news about birds in One Green Planet, including NYC’s new law to protect birds from glass, Audubon Society’s warning on climate change and birds, the scientists that studied climate change’s effect on birds, how methane gas from landfills harms birds, human-caused mass birth deaths, and why you shouldn’t buy a pet bird.

Sign this petition to demand that Conservation officials in European countries with wildlife-dense beaches enact leash laws during nesting season so that birds don’t get scared away from their nests!

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Also, don’t forget to download the Food Monster App on iTunes — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!