Question 30327 — hunting and fishing

Summary

Ms. Frédérique Tuffnell questions the Minister of Ecological and Inclusive Transition about the risks of zoonosis linked to game releases. This practice concerns, in France, mainly species of game birds (mallard duck, pheasant, partridge), large game (deer and wild boar), as well as leporids (wild rabbit and hare). These releases have the pretext of maintaining a more motivating hunting activity for hunters, as well as the restoration of biodiversity. However, we observe very high mortality among released animals, explained in particular by the stress caused in animals transported and released in a place where they cannot shelter or feed themselves, and which are vulnerable to predation. Declining populations are, in conclusion, only very provisionally reinforced or restored. In particular, wild boar releases are problematic for the damage that these animals can cause on agricultural crops, damage which will then justify their predation. Furthermore, hunting repopulations weaken relict populations by impoverishing their genetic heritage. This situation is even more critical as climate change and the artificialization of natural spaces require wild animals to adapt quickly. In short, the practice of game releases is not favorable to the preservation of biodiversity. In addition, there are associated health risks. The Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the risks of transmission of pathogens linked to contact between wildlife and humans. Wildlife can be the reservoir of a pathogen for itself as well as for other domestic animals and humans, or be only the asymptomatic vector of a transmissible infection. The release of game, through the exchanges it involves between the domestic and natural environment, multiplies these risks. She therefore asks what measures she intends to take to strengthen the requirements linked to game releases, so as to prevent the health risks and genetic pollution that they induce.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

Timeline

No timeline events have been ingested for this record yet.

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

No documents linked.

Sponsors

No sponsors or actors listed by the source.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.