Species decline in the cultivated landscape is alarming

IG Wild beim Wild deplores the decline in lagomorphs. Agriculture and hobby hunters bear significant responsibility as enemies of species.

Editorial Wild beim Wild — 17 August 2023

Enormous decline in lagomorphs

IG Wild beim Wild deplores the enormous decline in lagomorphs and holds farmers as well as hobby hunters responsible.

In 2021, as many as 1’475 brown hares were still shot by hobby hunters. For the wild rabbit, the total bag stands at 2. There are likely almost none left. For years they have survived in only 5 locations in Switzerland.

Wildlife and birds in areas with critical population density must no longer be hunted. At the very least, the brown hare is also listed on the Red List of endangered species in Switzerland. Animal species may only be hunted when species conservation is not threatened by hobby hunting (Art. 1 and 5.4).

Hobby hunters pretend to be something they are not

Everyone agrees that the habitat for wildlife is shrinking ever further. If humans are already destroying nature and the habitat of wildlife, they should not be hunting them on top of that — and certainly not during the harsh winter months.

Hobby hunters like to portray themselves as conservationists or guardians of species. Yet it is always also the hobby hunters who decimate or exterminate rare species. No wildlife species has ever driven another to extinction.

Nationalpark Locarnese kommt nicht

No species-appropriate existence for wildlife

Today's hobby hunting destroys the normal social coexistence of wildlife, the ecological balance, natural behavioural patterns, family structures and social bonds.

Natural disaster: hobby hunters

In the chaos in which nature finds itself after decades of management and stewardship by hobby hunters, the share of endangered species is nowhere in the world as high as in Switzerland. The contract 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 plant species, wildlife and fungal species are considered endangered. Switzerland also ranks last in Europe when it comes to designating protected areas for biodiversity. It is precisely these circles of hobby hunters with their lobbying who have been responsible for this through politics, media and legislation 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 national parks in Switzerland because their concern is not nature, biodiversity, species protection or animal welfare, but rather the pursuit of their perverse, bloody hobby.

Did you know …

that in Switzerland innocent young wolves are being liquidated?
that hobby hunters lie about the assessment of venison quality and that processed game meat, according to the WHO, 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 the ammunition used by hobby hunters?
that the fair chase ethics of hobby hunters are diametrically opposed to animal protection law and are nothing but a mirage?
that hunting is war, where animal competitors are simply eliminated?
that there are countless illegal and unmarked hunting blinds in our natural landscape, some so rotten that they pose a danger to children and can cause people to lose their lives?
that year after year countless people are killed or injured by hunters' weapons, some so severely that they end up in wheelchairs or have limbs amputated?
that in Switzerland approximately 120,000 perfectly healthy roe deer, red deer, foxes, marmots and chamois are killed each year, mostly without purpose?
that because of hobby hunters it has become nearly impossible today to live in harmony with wildlife or to even catch a glimpse of wild animals?
that shotgun blasts cause hares to cry out like small children, and tear apart the entrails of “shot” roe deer and red deer so that they leave a trail of blood for hunters to follow?
that the claims made by hobby hunters that the cruel wildlife massacres are necessary to regulate animal populations have been scientifically refuted?
that hobby hunters openly admit that hunting is about the "lust for killing" and "the joy of making a kill" — a pathological passion?
that hobby hunters have no sixth sense and yet regularly claim to shoot only sick and weak animals, which is of course not true in practice?
that hobby hunters travel abroad for trophy hunting, far removed from all species and hunting protection regulations, and that there are even Swiss hobby hunter travel agencies catering to such depraved hunting pleasures?
that the overwhelming majority are not legitimate professional hunters, but pursue hunting as a hobby, sporting, and recreational pastime, which is morally indefensible and in fact 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 out of their depth when it comes to species protection and repeatedly shoot animals listed on the Red List — such as the lynx, wolf, hare, grey partridge, quail, etc. — 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 a single shot, that preventing this is the goal, and that this is indeed the central idea behind wildlife stewardship, care, and hunting management plans?
that among wild boar (and foxes), normally only the lead sow bears young, but due to her being shot, all female animals within the group reproduce, which is also why we have a wild boar surplus?
that grazing animals — deer, roe deer, etc. — originally lived primarily as diurnal creatures in fields and meadows, like goats, sheep, and cows, and not in the forest?
that the wolf is vitally important in the long term for maintaining the health of wild ungulates, because, for example, it preys on sick or weak animals with extraordinary precision, and is thereby far superior to hobby hunters?
that foxes, after being senselessly hunted, usually end up in the trash?
that foxes are hunted today primarily so that there are more hares, etc. for hobby hunters to put in the frying pan? That foxes, however, derive over 90% of their diet from sources other than hares and would never catch a healthy hare?
that in animal protection, one cannot confront hobby hunters with gentleness alone, street festivals, prayer chains, etc. (you need to fight fire with fire)?
that hobby hunters, through 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 mating season, yet hobby hunters have no scruples about doing exactly this to their prey competitor, the fox?
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 target 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, during harsh winters, lure starving animals with food only to shoot them in a treacherous and cowardly manner?
that hobby hunters set trained dogs on burrows to eliminate foxes and badgers (earth hunting)?
that hobby hunters lure peaceful living beings into box traps, where they may suffer for days awaiting their killer, or subject animals to an often hours-long death struggle (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, trophy cult prize ceremonies, 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 isolation, which encourages animal cruelty?
that hobby hunters seriously injure many wild animals, leaving the victims to suffer for hours in enormous pain and fear until a tracking dog finds them and they are shot dead?
that hobby hunters (apart from vivisection) inflict the most suffering and abuse on animals, including through the manner in which they kill?
that hunters' so-called love of animals and nature takes no joy in the mere existence of the beloved object, but rather aims to possess the beloved creature body and soul, culminating in turning it into prey through the act of killing?
that hobby hunters actively promote browsing damage through hunting pressure, particularly on predators such as fox, lynx and wolf?
that hobby hunters open the door to antisocial, unethical and unchristian behaviour?
that hobby hunters deprive the public of normal, natural wildlife observations and interactions?
that there is no greater product of cruelty and ammunition contamination than venison?
that there is no uniform regulation across Switzerland regarding vision tests, shooting practice, etc. for hobby hunters?
that there is no psychological aptitude test 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 to push their hunters' tales and their culture of violence onto children?
that a court in Bellinzona recently confirmed that hunting associations promote practically 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 Grisons alone, over 1’000 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 dedicated to the sustainable and non-violent improvement of the human-animal relationship, with a specialisation in the legal aspects of wildlife protection. One of our main concerns is the introduction of a contemporary and serious wildlife management system in the cultural landscape, modelled on the Canton of Geneva — without hobby hunters, but with trustworthy wildlife wardens who genuinely deserve that title and act in accordance with a code of honour. The monopoly on the use of force belongs in the hands of the state. The IG supports scientific methods of immunocontraception for wildlife.

More on the topic of hobby hunting: In our hunting dossier we compile fact checks, analyses and background reports.