Tierschutz Austria, together with other animal welfare NGOs, criticizes new regulations in Salzburg and Upper Austria
This year, Upper Austria and Salzburg passed new ordinances on the killing of otters, after those in Lower Austria and Carinthia had already been extended.
Vienna (OTS) – Again it is a predator that divides Austria. This time it’s about the nimble and heavily protected otter, which – after being wiped out in an integrated manner – is finally diving through Austria’s waters again. For the WWF, otters belong to Austria’s Big Five along with wolves, lynxes, beavers and white-tailed eagles and are a good indicator species. This means that protecting this art is beneficial to other animals as well. Nevertheless, the myth of the fish-eating otter that catches rivers empty and eradicates protected species lives on and causes heated debates, as is currently the case in Carinthia, where otters use conibear traps to be drowned.
The Austrian watercourses are in a poor ecological condition, and the fish stocks are doing the same. Many human influences and climate change have a negative impact on fish stocks. The otter plays an integral role in this. For many animal rights activists it is therefore incomprehensible that several federal states justify the shooting of otters with the protection of wild fish.
Ecological hunting means acting within the framework of the laws for the good of nature and treating creatures responsibly. The tasks of the hunter include keeping game stocks and habitats in balance and maintaining the natural processes. Every animal must be of value, because art, whether “rare” or “interesting for hunting”, must not be the focus of efforts.
Tierschutz Austria is always committed to taking action against cruel killing methods, which is why a petition against the killing of otters using conibear traps was recently launched [1]. [1] https://www.tierschutz-austria.at/petitionfischotter
You can find out more about the otter in Austria here.
Questions & contact:
Animal Welfare Austria
Jonas von Einem
Head of Communications
+43 699 16604075
Jonas.of.a@tierschutz-austria.at
www.tierschutz-austria.at