Yes, for wild animals: Fireworks Initiative on 29 November
For many people, it is a celebration. For roe deer, foxes and hedgehogs, it is a bang out of nowhere, with nowhere to hide and no explanation. On 29 November, Switzerland decides on the initiative «For a restriction on fireworks». IG Wild beim Wild says Yes.
Who are you voting Yes for?
Choose the wild animal you are giving your vote to on 29 November.
Thank you.
As a thank-you, we are giving you a song, randomly selected from our songs: . Free to use and copyright-free, including for your own posts and reels.
Would you like to do even more? With a donation, you help make the campaign visible until 29 November.
Who Switzerland is voting Yes for
What this is about
Nowhere to hide: Nobody can bring wild animals indoors. A bang in the night triggers flight, and in winter that costs them energy they cannot spare.
Without warning: Private fireworks go off unannounced and in many places at once.
Celebrations remain: Authorised public fireworks displays remain possible. It is loud private fireworks that would be restricted.
Our song for the vote: «Für wen der Himmel brennt» (For Whom the Sky Burns)
It tells of wild animals thrown into panic by the bang of fireworks on 1 August and on New Year's Eve. Free to use and without copyright.
What the research shows
up to 16 km
further flew wild geese on New Year's Eve than on other nights, and up to 150 metres higher. In the twelve days afterwards they had to eat 10 per cent more.
Kölzsch et al., Conservation Letters 2022 (GPS data from 347 geese)
500 m
At this altitude, weather radar counted the most birds shortly after midnight. Extrapolated, hundreds of thousands took to the air in the Netherlands, for at least 45 minutes.
Shamoun-Baranes et al., Behavioral Ecology 2011 (radar measurements, Netherlands)
7 weeks
That is how long black-necked grebes avoided their customary stretch of lake after the 1992 Thun lake festival. Around 400 coots moved a kilometre away.
360 t
of fine particulate matter are produced in Switzerland every year by the burning of fireworks. It ends up in soils and waters, in the habitat of wild animals.
Why wild animals are particularly affected is explained in our article Fireworks initiative on 29 November: what's at stake for wild animals.
Support the campaign
Many people do not yet know what is at stake for wild animals on 29 November. IG Wild beim Wild works independently and relies on donations. Every franc helps to keep the campaign visible until the vote.
By bank transfer or QR bill
IG Wild beim Wild, Postfach 120, 6716 Acquarossa
IBAN: CH49 0076 7000 U507 4253 6
Reference: Feuerwerk
Scan only with your banking app ("scan bill" or "QR bill" function), not with your phone camera. The recipient and reference are then already filled in; you choose the amount yourself.
