Romania set to approve bird hunting during spring migration

A proposed law that would allow spring hunting and trespassing on private property in Romania could be approved Imminently, Bird Life International  has reported

This would mean birds could be legally killed during spring migration and goes against the Birds and Habitats Directives, as this is a critical time for migrating birds on their way to breed. The legislation would extend the legal hunting periods for up to 3 months, including spring migration, for 18 species of birds, mostly goose and duck species (Northern Pintail and Gargany among them). It is particularly threatening for non-target species like the endangered Red-breasted Goose, which forms mixed flocks with target species and then gets accidentally killed.

One of the other 18 species for which this law would apply is the Eurasian Skylark. It’s one of Romania`s most beloved birds and has been an inspiration for many great musicians all over the world. It is currently legal to hunt Skylark in Romania and five other EU countries - Greece, Cyprus, Italy, France and Malta. But the Skylark population in Europe has declined up to 50 percent since 1980, so extending the hunting period would only worsen the situation. Also, people are known to hunt under the guise of targeting skylark, but end up killing other species that are legally protected as well.

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New law puts Hungary's wildlife at risk

Land management rights are to be transferred from nature conservation organisations to a central Land Agency which has economic rather than conservation interests if Hungary’s new law gets approved, bird Life International reports.

“If approved the new legislation is likely to damage centuries of nature conservation traditions and practices,”says Elodie Cantaloube in her report for Bird Life International

Among Hungary’s natural treasures are Europe’s largest known stalactite cave which is an incredible 26 km long (partly shared with Slovakia), inside Aggtelek National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Héviz Lake, Europe’s largest thermal lake.

Hungary has been well known for its strong laws and firmly established framework to protect its nature and wildlife. Its well-developed system made up of governmental institutions and large network of protected areas on government owned land. About nine per cent of Hungary’s territory is under federal protection and there are 63 forest reserves that have been designated as protected land. All of the country’s known 4077 caves have been protected by law since 1961. Hungary’s contribution to the Europe’s ‘Natura 2000 Network’ is quite significant as well. It’s about 21 per cent of the country’s total land area, or nearly 2 million hectares.

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