IG Wild beim Wild calls for a ban on lead ammunition

IG Wild beim Wild is calling for a ban on environmentally harmful lead ammunition in Switzerland. Lead poisons soils, waterways, and wildlife.

Editorial team Wild beim Wild — 17 June 2022

Lead is harmful to humans and animals even in small doses and accumulates in the body.

A significant source of lead poisoning is lead-containing hunting ammunition. In the Swiss Alps, it has been scientifically established that golden eagles and bearded vultures have died from lead poisoning after feeding on the remains of animals killed with lead ammunition. In addition, game meat intended for human consumption can also be contaminated with lead. The FSVO therefore recommends that children up to the age of 7, breastfeeding women, pregnant women, and women wishing to become pregnant avoid consuming game killed with lead ammunition.

National Councillor Martina Munz (SP/SH), a member of the central board of the Swiss Animal Protection STS, is now calling for a motion for a wide-ranging ban on lead ammunition.

Tackling the root cause

In its draft amendment to the Hunting Ordinance of 8 May 2020, the Federal Council provided in Article 1b, paragraph 4 for a ban on lead-containing ammunition as well as copper and zinc shot for waterfowl. The ordinance had already been put out for consultation but was subsequently not brought into force because the Hunting Act was rejected on 27 September 2020.

The amendment to the ordinance would prevent the entrails of shot animals from being contaminated with lead particles. This addresses the risk of lead poisoning at its source for golden eagles, bearded vultures, and other birds of prey that feed on these entrails. Since even-toed ungulates and marmots are also consumed as game meat, this provision would also improve human health protection. In addition, the use of lead shot for hunting brown hares and mountain hares is also to be prohibited.

Lead shot ammunition

A general ban on lead shot can be waived for the time being, as safety concerns still exist regarding the use of coarse lead-free shot in conventional hunting rifles. However, the ban is to be introduced as soon as these concerns can be resolved.

According to new findings, other metals (zinc, copper) are highly toxic to aquatic organisms. For this reason, the use of copper and zinc shot for waterfowl hunting is also to be prohibited.

More on this in the dossier: Hunting and Animal Welfare

Hobby Hunters: A Natural Disaster

In the chaos that nature finds itself in after decades of management and stewardship by hobby hunters, the proportion of endangered species is higher in no other country in the world than in Switzerland. These hired killers have been creating an ecological imbalance in the cultivated landscape for decades, with sometimes dramatic consequences (protective forests, disease, agricultural damage, and much more). Over a third of plant, wildlife, and fungal species are considered endangered. Switzerland is also last in Europe when it comes to designating protected areas for biodiversity. It is precisely these circles of hobby hunters, through their lobbying via politics, media, and legislation, who have been responsible for this for decades. They are the ones who notoriously block contemporary, ethical improvements in animal welfare and sabotage serious animal and species protection. Hobby hunters regularly oppose more Schweiz ist europaweit beim Ausscheiden von Schutzflächen für die Biodiversität ebenfalls Schlusslicht. Es sind genau immer auch diese Kreise aus Hobby-Jägern mit ihrer Lobbyarbeit, die über die Politik, Medien und Gesetze seit Jahrzehnten dafür verantwortlich zu machen sind. Sie sind es, die zeitgemässe, ethische Tierschutzverbesserungen notorisch blockieren und den seriösen Tier- und Artenschutz sabotieren. Hobby-Jäger wehren sich regelmässig gegen mehr national parks in Switzerland because their concern is not nature, biodiversity, species conservation, or animal welfare — but rather the pursuit of their perverted, bloody hobby.

Did you know …

that in Switzerland innocent young wolves are being killed?
that hobby hunters lie about the assessment of game meat quality, and that according to the WHO, processed game meat is carcinogenic — like cigarettes, asbestos, or arsenic?
that according to a study, nowhere is the lead contamination of golden eagles and bearded vultures higher than in the Swiss Alps, due to ammunition used by hobby hunters?
that the hunting ethics of hobby hunters are diametrically opposed to animal welfare law and are nothing but a mirage?
that hunting is war, where animal competitors are simply eliminated?
that there are countless illegal and unmarked elevated hunting stands in our countryside, some so rotten that they pose a danger to children and could cost people their lives?
that year after year countless people are killed or injured by hunters' weapons, in some cases so severely that they end up in wheelchairs or have limbs amputated?
that in Switzerland around 120,000 perfectly healthy roe deer, red deer, foxes, marmots and chamois are needlessly killed every year?
that because of hobby hunters it is now barely possible to live in harmony with wildlife or to observe wild animals?
that shotgun blasts make hares scream like small children, and tear apart the entrails of “shot” roe deer and red deer so that they leave a trail of blood for the tracking dogs to follow?
that the hobby hunters’ claim that these cruel wildlife massacres are necessary to regulate animal populations has been scientifically refuted?
that hobby hunters openly admit that hunting is driven by a “lust for killing” and “the joy of making a kill” — a pathological obsession?
that hobby hunters have no sixth sense, yet regularly claim they only shoot sick and weak animals — which, of course, does not hold true in practice?
that hobby hunters travel abroad for trophy hunting, far beyond any species protection or hunting regulations, and that there are even Swiss hobby hunter travel operators offering such depraved hunting experiences?
that the vast majority are not licensed professional hunters, but pursue hunting as a hobby, sport, and leisure activity — which is morally indefensible and in fact contradicts animal welfare legislation?
that 99.07% of civilised people in Switzerland are not hobby hunters, meaning only 0.3% of hobby hunters take pleasure in these bloody activities?
that these wildlife killers do not hunt on the basis of scientific justifications?
that protected species should not fall under hunting law at all, because hobby hunters are ill-equipped to handle species conservation and repeatedly shoot animals listed on the Red List — such as lynx, wolf, brown hare, grey partridge, quail, and others — for sport?
that hobby hunters deliberately decimate certain animal species to eliminate competition for their own unnatural behavior — including foxes, lynx, wolves, birds of prey, and others?
that wild animals die before the hobby hunter has fired a single shot, that this must be prevented, and that this is in fact the central idea behind wildlife stewardship, habitat management, and hunting planning?
that with wild boar (and foxes), normally only the lead sow gives birth to young, but that due to her being shot, all female animals within the sounder reproduce, and this is one of the reasons we have a wild boar overpopulation?
that grazing animals – deer, roe deer, etc. – originally lived mainly as diurnal animals in fields and meadows, like goats, sheep, cows, etc., and not in the forest?
that the wolf is vitally important for the long-term health of wild ungulates, because it hunts sick or weak animals with incredible precision, for example, and is therefore far superior to hobby hunters?
that foxes after pointless hunting usually end up in the rubbish?
that foxes today are hunted mainly so that there are more hares, etc. for hobby hunters’ frying pans? That the fox, however, feeds on hares in fewer than 10% of cases and would never catch a healthy hare?
that in animal welfare, you cannot deal with hobby hunters using only gentleness, street festivals, prayer chains, etc. (you need to fight fire with fire)?
that hobby hunters, with their hunters’ tall tales, engage in a disrespectful mockery of living beings?
that it is frowned upon to shoot large game at feeding stations or during mating season, yet hobby hunters have no qualms about doing exactly this to the fox, their competitor for prey?
that in some cantons hobby hunters go hunting solely for the tender meat of a young animal?
that hobby hunters shoot pregnant mother deer in front of their young, or shoot only young animals during the rearing period (supplementary special hunt)?
that hobby hunters poison the environment, nature, humans, and animals with their ammunition?
that bestiality, barbarism, cruelty, bloodshed, and senseless suffering cannot be considered cultural heritage in a civilised society?
that hobby hunters shoot around 10’000 roe deer fawns every year?
that in harsh winters, hobby hunters lure starving animals with food only to shoot them in a treacherous and cowardly manner?
that hobby hunters send aggravated dogs into burrows to eliminate foxes and badgers (earth hunting)?
that hobby hunters lure peaceful creatures into box traps, where they may suffer for days awaiting their killer, or subject animals to a death struggle lasting hours (trap hunting)?
that hobby hunters cowardly ambush and shoot or injure peaceful wild animals while they sleep or bask in the sun, using state-of-the-art precision weapons?
that hobby hunters support awards, fur markets, prize ceremonies for the trophy cult, trophy shows, the fur trade, and so on?
that hobby hunters place firearms in the hands of underage schoolchildren and practice killing with them?
that hobby hunters often carry out their cruel acts in remote locations, which encourages animal cruelty?
that hobby hunters often only seriously injure wild animals, and the victims frequently suffer for hours in tremendous pain and fear before a tracking dog finds them and they are shot dead?
that hobby hunters inflict more suffering and abuse on animals than almost any other group (apart from vivisection), including through their methods of killing?
that the hunter's so-called love of animals and nature does not delight in the existence of the beloved creature, but rather aims to possess it body and soul, culminating in turning it into prey through the act of killing?
that hobby hunters actually promote browsing damage through hunting pressure, particularly on predators such as foxes, lynx, and wolves?
that hobby hunters open the door to antisocial, unethical, and unchristian behavior?
that hobby hunters deprive the public of normal, natural wildlife observation and interaction?
that there is no greater product of suffering — and one contaminated with ammunition residue — than game meat?
that there is no uniform nationwide regulation in Switzerland regarding vision tests, shooting practice, and so on for hobby hunters?
that there is no psychological character assessment for hobby hunters?
that there is no alcohol ban for hobby hunters when they are shooting at animals with their weapons?
that hobby hunters intrude into educational institutions in order to foist their hunters' jargon and their culture of violence upon children?
that a court in Bellinzona recently confirmed that hunting clubs promote virtually everything that is cruel, unnecessary, and heartless?
that the association «Jagd Schweiz» cultivates above all disrespect and a culture of violence — the exact opposite of what a civilised person in our society should aspire to.
that in the canton of Graubünden alone, over 1,000 reports and fines are issued against hobby hunters every year?