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Post by Bonobo on Sept 15, 2017 23:24:18 GMT 1
Very emotional reactions appeared in many comments after a European bison which had roamed free in Poland, crossed the Polish German border and was shot in Germany. The Polish media and viewers had observed animal`s 100-mile trek in Poland. It wasn`t aggressive, just went for a long walk as bisons often do.    When it crossed the border, German hunters were called to kill it. Now its head will decorate a local museum. Well, Polish commentators are enraged and suggest it was a typical German way of introducing order - with a gun. .  |
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Post by jeanne on Sept 17, 2017 21:45:14 GMT 1
I just don't understand the way some people think...what is wrong with them?? Why is killing the first resort when confronted with an out-of-place but non-aggressive animal???
Oh yeah, I meant to say, you picked a pretty provocative title for this thread!
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Post by Bonobo on Sept 20, 2017 22:30:28 GMT 1
I just don't understand the way some people think...what is wrong with them?? Why is killing the first resort when confronted with an out-of-place but non-aggressive animal??? Oh yeah, I meant to say, you picked a pretty provocative title for this thread! Germans explained they couldn`t find a vet who could administer a big enough dose of this substance which puts to sleep, I have no time to check the term. As for a pretty provocative title, let`s begin from the beginning: who provoked whom first???  |
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Post by Bonobo on Oct 22, 2017 0:50:17 GMT 1
Polish authorities are no better, conservationists suggest. 40 Polish bisons are planned to be executed to diminish the herds which are too big and weak for local habitats. When Germany killed 1 Polish bison our right wing morons cried for 2 weeks. Now their minister #szyszkodnik wants to kill 40.. #savethebisontwitter.com/hashtag/savethebison?src=hashOutrage over bison hunting in Poland Plans by Poland's government to allow the hunting of a limited number of wild bison, which proponents say are threatened by illness, have caused outrage among environmentalists. "We call for a halt to plans for killing bison, especially for commercial purposes," said Robert Cyglicki, director of Greenpeace Poland in a statement. "The bison is not only a great and rare animal, but also a symbol of Poland's nature, protected by Poland and the EU." The activists have already collected more than 23,000 signatures, asking Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo put a stop to the plan. Aside from the famous American buffalo, the European bison - also known as wisent, or the European wood bison - is the only surviving bison species in the world. By the early 20th century, the animals had been hunted to extinction in the wild. Animals bred in captivity were eventually reintroduced into the wild in several countries, including Poland and Germany. Nonetheless, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) still classifies the wisent as a vulnerable species. Poland's environmental authorities have granted permission for hunting 10 bison in the Borki Primeval Forest. They argue that the herd there is too large and threatened by tuberculosis. Wisent in Polish forest in winter (Mateusz Szymura) Due to ecosystem changes, wisent reintroduced to the wild are given supplemental food in the winter In 2016, 15 calves were born, bringing the total number of animals in the area to 111 - but the government wants to maintain a population of 95 by eliminating weaker animals. "The deliberate killing of protected animals must be preceded by a thorough scientific assessment, consistent with current knowledge on the protection of species of wild animals," Cyglicki argues, calling for the government to conduct such an assessment. There is a commercial aspect to the government's plans as well: Revenue from the sale of hunting permits is supposed to pay for supplemental winter fodder and care of the herds. "The killing of protected animals should be a last resort," the Greenpeace petition concludes. www.dw.com/en/outrage-over-bison-hunting-in-poland/a-36987319 |
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Post by Bonobo on Jan 31, 2019 22:22:02 GMT 1
newsmavens.com/news/smoke-signals/2301/polish-wild-boars-sentenced-to-death
Polish wild boars sentenced to death
On January 12, Polish hunters started to cull almost the entire wild boar population of the country. This misguided cruelty is the government’s response to the epidemic of the African Swine Fever which has spanned Europe over past years.
Ada Petriczko
The disease is a threat to one of Poland’s top industries -- pork production. Fearing an embargo which would deal a painful blow to the powerful lobby, the government decided to undertake drastic measures. However, the strategy chosen is not only brutal but also counterproductive.
So far, the most effective measure of fighting the spread of ASF has been bolstering biosecurity by strictly isolating domestic pigs from wild boars, disposing of the sick cadaver and rigorously disinfecting hunters and the pig farms’ staff. Because as long as the wild boars do not come into contact with domestic pigs, the disease will not threaten the pork industry.
From this aspect, Polish farms have been far from exemplary. According to the Supreme Audit Office (NIK), 74% of Polish farms fail to obey even the most basic measures of biosecurity, while the veterinary supervision leaves much to be desired. Moreover, although the first case of ASF was reported in Poland in 2014, there has been no effort to find and collect the carcasses of sick animals where the virus thrives.
This is why 300 top scientists of the country signed an open letter decrying the policy. Environmental organisations are also sounding the alarm bells. Some experts suggest that the large-scale hunts will not stop ASF but, on the contrary, will help the spread of the virus, since frightened animals will start escaping to Western Poland.
This unnecessary massacre is emblematic of the government's environmental policy, which could be summed up as “destruction in the name of protection”.
When two years ago, lumberjacks entered one of Europe’s last remaining primary forest, the Białowieża Forest, and started logging, the official PR line was that the forest had to be protected from the European spruce bark beetle.
This time, the government would rather exterminate 180,000 wild boars than pressurize the pork production lobby to implement biosecurity measures.
Whether it is colonization of other nations or species, humans always find a noble excuse. We come in the name of religion, peace, security -- you name it. But whatever we call it, in the end, it’s just business.
Details from the story:
It is difficult to determine the exact number of wild boars living in Poland, but the population is estimated to number 200,000-250,000.
The aim of the cull is to leave about 10% of that population alive.
As of today, African Swine Fever is incurable. However, it only affects animals from the pig family (domestic pig and wild boar).
Hunters are not only allowed to shoot boars -- they are being enticed with financial incentives. They will receive 600 zł (150 euros) for each pregnant sow and 300 zloty (70 euros) for a male boar.
Poland is the 6th biggest producer of pork in Europe. Its neighbour Germany is the biggest one.
Although wild boars have been the target of anti-ASF hunts since 2014 (on a smaller scale), the disease is spreading. Recently, it crossed the line of Vistula river and reached the outskirts of Warsaw. This shows that unless hunters maintain impeccable biosecurity measures, the cull will be pointless.
Over the past weekend, “Gazeta Wyborcza” reported that in many places, the hygiene regulations were ignored.
Scientists warn that such a wide-scale cull will unbalance the forests’ ecosystems. Wild boars are an important source of food for wolves. Moreover, by digging the ground in search of grubs to eat, wild boars enable the germination of sprouts.
Despite this, the European Commission approved of Poland’s anti-ASF strategy.
Across Poland, people took to the streets to protest the cull.
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