European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) couple perched on a fence, Galicia, Spain. Photo Credit: Brais Seara/Getty Images

Animals Spain5. July 2021

Shooting This Threatened Bird Is Now Illegal

Spain has agreed to ban the shooting of the turtle dove for a year, helping to spare about a million of the migrating birds and boost the population of the winged animal.

“This is a really positive step from Spanish authorities because Spain is a key country on the migration route of the species, says Dr. Andy Evans, head of global species recovery at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. “Hunting exacerbates the problems for these birds caused by agricultural changes, but both problems need to be tackled in order to save the turtle dove. By stopping hunting, turtle doves are given a better chance to recover.”

Over the past eight decades, 98% of the bird’s population vanished from their western European migration route, bringing about well-justified efforts to halt shooting. SEO BirdLife, the Spanish Ornithological Society, hopes the turtle dove will soon be added to the country’s list of endangered species. And scientists are now pushing for a four-year ban across the whole migration route through western Europe – including France, Italy, Malta, and Portugal – to prevent the at-risk bird from getting closer and closer to extinction.

Source:
The Guardian

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