FEATURE

Temporary ban on glue trapping in France

by Marion Jamett

Photo credit: LPO

In August, France announced that the quota for hunting thrushes and blackbirds with glue traps will be set to zero this year, compared with 42,000 in 2019. The suspension follows a warning from the European Commission that France could face legal action if it persisted in endorsing the practice.

Glue-trapping has been banned in the EU since 1979 and the first Birds Directive, but member states may derogate from certain provisions of the Directive under strict conditions. In its warning, the Commission states that these conditions are not fulfilled in this case, especially because most of the species captured are not in a good conservation status.

Glue-trapping consists of placing sticks covered in glue on trees to catch songbirds that will later be caged and used as callers to lure more birds to be killed by hunters. France allows glue-trapping in five south-east departments on the grounds of “tradition”, as long as it is “selective, controlled and in limited quantity”. Under French legislation, birds caught on glue sticks must be immediately unstuck and either caged or released (non-targeted species).

But the practice has long been criticised as non-selective and damaging to wildlife. Evidence gathered by LPO (the biggest bird conservation NGO in France) shows that many protected species, including robins, blue tits and other warblers, struggle and die on glue sticks. Although the legislation requires the removal and release of non-targeted birds, many are simply pulled off and discarded. A report by the National Center for Veterinary Toxicological Information highlights that even if these birds are released, lesions of the feathers and musculoskeletal system and the toxicity of petrol or acetone used to remove them, may impact in the short term on the survival of these birds.

The decision not to apply a derogation this year, for the first time ever, is welcome. But it stops short of banning the practice. France is suspending it and is awaiting a response from the European Court of Justice. Just as controversial is the announcement made the following day to disregard international requests and to allow the hunting of 17,460 European Turtle Doves this autumn, a species which has been subject to dramatic declines over the past 30 years and is considered as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

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