An operation to slaughter ibexes, which began on Monday October 17, was to continue on Tuesday 18 in the Bargy massif, in Haute-Savoie. Justified by the prefecture by a public health imperative and the need to eradicate brucellosis – an infectious disease potentially transmissible to livestock and humans –, it is contested by several nature protection organizations and by experts, who consider it disproportionate and counter-productive.
“Brucellosis is a real threat but culling is not the right management method, deplores Jean-Pierre Crouzat, regional vice-president of France Nature Environnement and member of the League for the protection of birds. Of the 75 animals that can be slaughtered, 96% are healthy! »
The prefecture authorized, through a decree published on Saturday, the elimination of a maximum of 75 ibexes in the massif, out of a population of around 370 individuals. A second decree, also published during the weekend, prohibited all access to the area for forty-eight hours, starting Sunday evening. The firings are carried out by public officials, including those of the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB). “We have two months to file an informal or contentious appeal before the administrative judge, but the ibexes will be dead by Tuesday evening”lamented Monday Jean-Pierre Crouzat.
In mid-March, the prefect of Haute-Savoie, Yves Le Breton, had already published a decree authorizing the elimination of a maximum of 170 ibexes, a protected species. Contested by several associations, he had been suspended by the administrative court of Grenoble.
“The state should take its responsibilities”
Since then, 96 ibexes have been captured and tested: the five sick animals have been euthanized; those who were healthy were marked and released. “We have captured all the accessible ibexes but the last part of the herd cannot be approached, which is why we must take targeted samples from unmarked individuals”explains Yves Le Breton.
According to the prefect, the new decree differs from the previous one since the number of animals to be killed has been reduced. “We are still awaiting the judgment on the merits of the previous decree and the consultation has shown that the positions of each other have not changed, he adds. The state had to take its responsibilities. “We are aware that these images may shock but the health situation is serious”, we add to the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
You have 48.79% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.