Open Letter to Katrin Schneeberger of FOEN

Let us welcome raccoons, just as we ourselves would like to be welcomed.

Editorial Team Wild beim Wild — 21 July 2021

Dear Ms Schneeberger

Disbelief at FOEN

What you have put forward has left us shaking our heads.

On a list published by the EU of the «100 worst invasive animal species on the continent», the raccoon does not appear at all, in contrast to, for example, the cat or the trout.

Using their highly sensitive front paws, they occupy an ecological niche in their search for food that was previously unfilled. They therefore pose no competition for food with other native species, as stated, for example, in an information brochure published by the Berlin Senate.

Deplorable species protection in Switzerland

The actions of FOEN are just as negative as the way you write about wildlife. You write: «It is our responsibility to preserve biodiversity and protect it from negative influences». In no other country in the world is the proportion of endangered species higher than in Switzerland.

Implementing ethical solutions to the challenges ahead is beyond your capacity. What amounts to a glorification of violence that you model through your actions, however, we do not accept.

Findings of IG Wild beim Wild

Wildlife suffers violence, abuse, death, and terror on a daily basis. Behind this lies a weak FOEN directorate. The welfare and dignity of wildlife are systematically violated by FOEN. FOEN does not inform the public about what violence is perpetrated against wildlife — both legally and illegally — by recreational hunters. The UN criticises the fact that species protection in Switzerland is deplorable. Scientific studies on the hunting system are not taken into account by FOEN.

Hobby hunters — a natural disaster

In the chaos in which nature finds itself after decades of stewardship and management by recreational hunters, the proportion of endangered species is higher in Switzerland than in any other country in the world. These hired killers have been creating an ecological imbalance in the cultivated landscape for decades, with sometimes dramatic consequences (protective forests, diseases, agricultural damage, and much more). Over a third of plants, Wildlife and fungal species are considered threatened. Switzerland also ranks last in Europe when it comes to designating protected areas for biodiversity. It is precisely these circles of hobby hunters — through their lobbying efforts in 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 wildlife and species protection. Hobby hunters regularly oppose more national parks in Switzerland because their concern is not nature, biodiversity, species protection, 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 assessing the quality of game meat 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 fair chase ethic of hobby hunters is diametrically opposed to animal welfare legislation and is nothing but a mirage?
that hunting is war — where animal competitors are simply eliminated?
that there are countless illegal and unmarked hunting stands in our countryside, some so rotten that they pose a danger to children and can cost people their lives?
that year after year, countless people are killed or injured by hunters' firearms — some 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 killed each year, mostly for no good reason?
that because of hobby hunters, it has become nearly impossible today to live in harmony with wildlife or even to see wild animals?
that shotgun blasts cause hares to cry out like small children, and that the entrails of “shot” roe deer and red deer are torn apart so that they leave a trail of blood during their flight for tracking purposes?
that the claim by hobby hunters that the cruel wildlife massacres are necessary to regulate animal populations has been scientifically refuted?
that hobby hunters openly admit that hunting is about the “pleasure of killing” and “the joy of making a kill” — a pathological obsession?
that hobby hunters have no sixth sense and yet regularly claim they only shoot sick and weak animals, which is of course not true in practice?
that hobby hunters travel abroad for trophy hunting, far from any species protection and hunting regulations, and that there are even Swiss hobby hunter travel agencies offering such moronic hunting pleasures?
that the vast majority are not legitimate professional hunters, but pursue hunting as a hobby, sport, and leisure activity, which is not ethical and actually contradicts the Animal Protection Act?
that 99.07% of civilized 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 do not actually belong under hunting law, because hobby hunters are overwhelmed by species protection and repeatedly shoot animals listed on the Red List — such as lynx, wolf, hare, partridge, quail, etc. — purely for fun?
that hobby hunters deliberately decimate certain animal species to eliminate competition for their unnatural behavior (fox, lynx, wolf, birds of prey, etc.)?
that wildlife dies before the hobby hunter can fire even a single shot, that preventing this is the goal, and that this is arguably the central idea behind wildlife stewardship, conservation, and hunting management?
that with wild boar (and foxes), normally only the lead sow gives birth to young, but as a result of her being shot, all female animals within the sounder reproduce, and this is one reason why we have a wild boar population explosion?
that grazing animals — deer, roe deer, etc. — originally lived primarily as diurnal animals in fields and meadows, like goats, sheep, and cows, and not in the forest?
that the wolf is vital in the long term for keeping wild ungulates healthy, because it hunts sick or weak animals with incredible precision, for example, and is therefore vastly superior to hobby hunters?
that foxes mostly end up in the trash after being senselessly hunted?
that foxes today are hunted primarily so that there are more hares, etc. for hobby hunters’ frying pans? Yet that the fox’s diet consists of hares to less than 10%, and it never catches a healthy hare?
that in animal welfare advocacy, you cannot deal with hobby hunters through gentleness alone — street festivals, prayer chains, etc. — (you need a tough wedge for a tough log)?
that hobby hunters, with their hunters' tall tales engage in a disrespectful mockery of living beings?
that it is frowned upon to shoot big game at feeding stations or during the mating season, yet hobby hunters have no scruples about doing this to their prey competitor, the fox?
that in some cantons hobby hunters go hunting solely for the sake of the tender meat of a young animal?
that hobby hunters shoot pregnant mother cows in front of their young, or shoot only young animals during the rearing period (post-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 approximately 10’000 roe deer fawns every year?
that hobby hunters, in harsh winters, lure starving animals with food only to shoot them in a treacherous and cowardly manner?
that hobby hunters send attack-trained dogs into burrows to eliminate foxes and badgers (earth hunting)?
that hobby hunters lure peaceful living beings into cage traps, where they may suffer for days awaiting their killer, or are made to endure an often hours-long death struggle (trap hunting)?
that hobby hunters cowardly ambush and shoot or wound 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 into the hands of underage schoolchildren and practise killing with them?
that hobby hunters often carry out their cruel acts in remote isolation, which encourages animal cruelty?
that hobby hunters frequently severely wound wild animals, and the victims often suffer for hours in tremendous pain and fear until a tracking dog finds them and they are shot?
that hobby hunters (apart from vivisection) inflict the most suffering and abuse on animals, including through the manner in which they kill?
that the hunter's supposed love of animals and nature takes no joy in the existence of the beloved object, but rather aims to possess the beloved creature body and soul, culminating in making it prey through the act of killing?
that hobby hunters actively encourage browsing damage through hunting pressure, particularly on predators such as fox, lynx and wolf?
that hobby hunters are responsible for antisocial, unethical and unchristian behavior free rein open the door?
that hobby hunters withhold normal, natural wildlife observations and interactions from the public?
that there is no greater source of suffering — and one more contaminated with ammunition residue — than venison?
that there is no uniform national regulation regarding vision tests, shooting practice, etc. for hobby hunters?
that there is no psychological character assessment for hobby hunters?
that there is no alcohol ban for hobby hunters when they shoot at animals with their weapons?
that hobby hunters intrude into educational institutions to impose their hunters' tales and their culture of violence on children?
that a court in Bellinzona recently confirmed that hunting clubs promote practically everything that is cruel, unnecessary, and heartless?
that the association «Jagd Schweiz» cultivates, above all, a culture of disrespect and violence — the exact opposite of what a civilized person in our society should aspire to.
that in the canton of Graubünden alone, more than 1’1000 complaints and fines are issued against hobby hunters every year?

Interest Group Wild beim Wild

The IG Wild beim Wild is a non-profit interest group committed to the sustainable and non-violent improvement of the human-animal relationship, with a specialization in the legal aspects of wildlife protection. One of our main concerns is to introduce a contemporary and professional wildlife management model in the cultivated landscape — modeled on the canton of Geneva — without hobby hunters, but with wildlife wardens of integrity who truly deserve the title and act according to a code of honor. The state's monopoly on the use of force must be upheld. The IG supports scientific methods of immunocontraception for wildlife.