French screen icon Brigitte Bardot, aged 90, denounced on Tuesday what she called a "massacre" of chamois—a species of goat-antelope native to the mountainous regions of Europe—in the Doubs department, where the local police chief has authorised the culling of 594 animals for the purpose of "vegetation protection".
On Tuesday, Brigitte Bardot, founder of an animal protection foundation that bears her name, condemned the "carnage" criticised by French animal rights groups.
"I am horrified to learn that the hunting plan for the Doubs, in effect until 29 January 2025, permits the culling of nearly 600 chamois," Bardot wrote in an open letter to the Doubs police chief.
"You cannot, and must not, condone or become complicit in such a massacre," she added.
In a decree dated 21 August, the Doubs police chief set the hunting plan for the 2024/2025 season at 259 to 594 chamois.
The same decree concerning deer permits their culling to range between 72 and 209 animals.
'Forest damage'
Authorities justified this decree in July by the need to prevent forest damage caused by both species on young trees.
However, the Association for the Protection of Wild Animals (ASPAS), citing data from the National Forests Office (ONF) argued that no "forest or agricultural damage has been scientifically documented."
An online petition launched this summer by the Humanimo organisation had gathered over 62,000 signatures as of Tuesday, as well as a legal appeal has been filed with the administrative court.
"We can only be shocked, especially since at the same time, wolf culling is widely practiced, and its eradication is even advocated by some," Humanimo stated.
(With AFP)
