“Finally, we’re turning the page on this hunting practice from another time and are entering the 21st century that is more respectful of the environment.”

The Council of State of France has banned the practice of using glue traps to hunt birds.

The country was the last EU member that still allowed the use of glue in hunting under the pretext of it being a “traditional” practice.

However, this week the council ruled that glue trap hunting of thrushes and blackbirds “cannot be authorized” because it is against European law.

The move comes after the EU Court of Justice said in March that glue traps caused irreparable harm to birds who get caught in them.  

In a statement, the French court also stated:  “The sole objective of preserving these traditions is not sufficient to justify a derogation from the prohibitions in principle laid down in the European directive.”

‘Finally turning the page’

Using glue traps was practiced in five regions in southeastern France. Hunters would coat tree branches with glue to catch thrushes and blackbirds, for food or as ‘sport’.

Environmental and animal rights activist groups have long criticized the practice. Campaign groups One Voice and League for the Protection of Birds had brought a case against the French environment ministry arguing that traps exemplified animal cruelty and should be stopped.

According to them, around 150,000 birds die annually in France from non-selective hunting techniques such as glue traps and nets.

Following the announcement, Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, the head of the French bird protection league told AFP: “Finally, we’re turning the page on this hunting practice from another time and are entering the 21st century that is more respectful of the environment.”

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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