With its 68,000 different species of flora and fauna, Austria can undoubtedly call itself a country of diversity. However, this diversity is, in part, under acute threat – not only from climate change, but also from cruel poaching, which is decimating populations of rare mammal and bird species in particular.
A change in law has now made it easier to prosecute those who don’t hunt, as the “Krone” taught. Previously, someone who illegally kills specimens of a protected species could face up to two years in prison. The sentence doesn’t change, but the dog was buried somewhere else.
Until now, criminal law does not apply if the act affected “only an insignificant number of specimens” and it had “only insignificant effects” on the conservation status of the species. In other words, if, for example, an imperial eagle was shot, experts had to clarify whether a single animal represented a sufficient “quantity”. As a result, poachers often go unpunished.
“No tolerance for poaching of endangered species”
That’s enough of that! Because a decision by the Ministry of Justice puts an end to this unreasonable situation. Anyone who shoots, poisons or traps a single protected animal in the future could end up behind bars pretty quickly.
“In this way we ensure that our animals in the wild are better protected. Because, given the extremely low populations of many rare species, such as the Imperial Eagle, we have to react quickly and clearly,” explains Justice Minister Alma Zadić. “In this way we are making an important contribution to finally put an end to the willful killing protected animals.”
490 endangered specimens
This is the number of wild animals that have been illegally shot, poisoned or trapped in Austria since 2000, according to a tally by WWF and BirdLife.
“A milestone in protecting our biodiversity”
Animal protection organizations such as BirdLife and the WWF welcome the tightening of the law “as a milestone in protecting our biodiversity”. The initiative came from the Ministry of the Environment: “This illegal murder is not a trivial offense – I have absolutely no sympathy for it,” said Minister Leonore Gewessler.
Two scientific studies were prepared in advance. Both concluded that in the case of particularly endangered species such as dormice, wildcat or just a few birds of prey, a single kill can endanger the entire population.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
