Not good news for species protection in Germany: The bison bull found in the Westerwald and shot to save himself is now a case for the public prosecutor. On the one hand, the autopsy of the dead animal revealed an older gunshot wound that was not related to the fatal shot. This injury, which was several months old, could have been the reason for the animal's generally very poor condition. On the other hand, the legal basis for the redemptive shot in June is also questionable, as the necessary approval from the Ministry of the Environment was probably not obtained beforehand.
Shot bison in the Westerwald: Result of an older crime
The old gunshot wound from the autopsy report leads to the conclusion that the bison been wrongfully shot before. This would be a problem even for non-protected species. Because wounded game must be searched for and rescued by the hunting officer. Apart from that are Bison according to European and national law, however strictly protected and may not be hunted under any circumstances. The gunshot wound is therefore a violation of the Federal Nature Conservation Act and the Federal Hunting Act. This crime must be investigated and the perpetrators must be punished appropriately! Anyone who stalks, catches, injures or kills an animal of a strictly protected species without a reasonable reason commits a criminal offense and can be sentenced to a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine (BNatSchG §71 based on §44).
How did the bison bull come to the Westerwald?
The animal comes from a free-living herd in the Rothaar Mountains in the Sauerland in North Rhine-Westphalia, 150 kilometers away. That's where they were rustic wild cattle were reintroduced in 2013. Since male bison go out alone to find other females, the bull migrated south and finally arrived in the Westerwald.
Why did the bison have to be shot?
On June 21, 2022, the bison bull found completely exhausted and seriously injured in Selters in Rhineland-Palatinate. Apparently the animal had broken several of its legs and had been lying on the ground for a long time. A maggot infestation was also discovered. After coordination between the police, the person authorized to hunt and a veterinary emergency service, the bison was shot by a hunter due to his poor health.
However, according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act, an exceptional permit is required for the lethal removal of a strictly protected animal such as the bison, which, according to media reports, was not available. In such a case, the decision-making authority rests solely with the responsible ministry.
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Not the first bison to be poached in Germany
In 2017 there was already a case that made it through the media: After the bison were eradicated in Germany, a Bull bison crossed the border from Poland to Germany for the first time in several centuries. Shortly after crossing the border, the bison, who had returned to us in the homeland of his ancestors, was in Lebus in East Brandenburg shot without an existing special permit. The WWF filed a criminal complaint about the shooting at the time. The Brandenburg Ministry of Justice classified the killing of the bison as illegal. The illegal killing of other animals under species protection, such as wolves, lynxes or birds of prey, is also not uncommon in Germany.
WWF demands comprehensive clarification
The fact that there was now another illegal act against a bison shocks us WWF very and shows how important the work for species protection continues to be in Germany. Because without the support of local people and the authorities, things look bleak for biodiversity in Germany. Illegally killing or injuring a strictly protected animal is not a trivial offense. That's why we demand as WWF Germany is carrying out a comprehensive investigation and clarification of the case so that there are no further illegal shootings of protected animals.
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Protect bison, prevent poaching
In order to prevent further cases like those in Lebus and the Westerwald in the future, the WWF in the EU Interreg funded Project LosBonasus-Crossing! for resolving conflicts between bison and humans and develops recommendations for species-appropriate management and monitoring of the large herbivores.
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