Wildlife Crime in Austria

More than 480 cases since the year 2000 – Illegal persecution of protected animals threatens the survival of entire species – WWF demands a package of measures.

Over 480 documented cases

More than 480 illegally shot, poisoned, or trap-killed native wild animals have been documented by the nature conservation organisation WWF Austria since the year 2000. The majority of the offences, recorded together with the bird protection organisation BirdLife Austria, involve protected birds of prey such as white-tailed eagles. Even very rare and strictly protected mammals such as bears, lynx, and wolves fall victim to criminals. “The recorded offences represent only the tip of the iceberg. The number of unreported cases of illegally killed animals is significantly higher. Many cases go undetected or cannot be solved”, warns WWF species protection expert Christina Wolf-Petre. “Particularly for rare species, the killing of individual animals threatens the survival of the population. These acts undermine efforts to protect them. Perpetrators must be consistently held accountable.” As stipulated in the government agreement, WWF demands the implementation of a package of measures to combat wildlife crime, including better law enforcement, more resources for the police, and stricter penalties.

The documented cases show that wildlife crime is a nationwide problem and not an isolated phenomenon. Relevant criminal offences have been reported in all federal states. Hotspots of illegal persecution of birds of prey in recent years have been Lower Austria, Upper Austria, and Burgenland. When it comes to illegal killings of strictly protected mammals such as bears, lynxes, or wolves, the data is less comprehensive. Nevertheless, one or more illegal killings of mammal species have been documented in seven out of nine federal states — all except Vienna and Vorarlberg. Illegal killings were largely responsible for the extinction of the brown bear population in Austria in 2010. Only occasionally do individual animals from neighboring countries roam through domestic forests. Illegal killings are a key reason why lynxes — Europe's largest small cat species — are once again threatened with extinction in this country. The hatred stirred up against wolves also fuels illegal killings. A dead and even decapitated carcass was found in Sellrain in Tyrol in 2019. The perpetrators remain unidentified to this day.

Many cases, few convictions

Wildlife crime is only solved in exceptional cases. Perpetrators often go undetected. The use of illegal poison baits in particular is difficult to trace, affects not only protected birds of prey but also other wild and domestic animals, and can even be dangerous for humans. The same applies to the use of cruel traps in which wild and domestic animals die in agony. Only a few cases result in a conviction. For example, a hobby hunter couple from Linz was sentenced in 2015 to fines and compensation payments totaling around 12,000 euros for shooting two lynxes.

Anyone who kills strictly protected animals endangers biodiversity, our natural environment, and thus the very foundation of our existence. The investigating authorities must therefore receive greater support from policymakers — both financially and in terms of staffing.

WWF expert Wolf-Petre

Support WWF worldwide in the fight against wildlife crime: www.stopp-wilderei.at