News Item for June 9th, 2005 "SCIENTIFIC" KILLING OF MARSH HARRIERS IN AUSTRIA The shooting of 48 Marsh Harriers every year for three years - a
bloody total - if the plan of the BOKU (the University of Natural
Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna) is carried out under
the guise of a scientific project! BirdLife, WWF Austria and other
organisations in Austria are appalled and are calling for an
immediate stop to the project. The aim of the project is (ostensibly) to "register the effect of
the Marsh Harrier on small game" by shooting almost half the
recorded breeding population over the next 3 years to determine
their diet by examining stomach content. Support WWF and BirdLife Austria and protest with your email via:
David Conlin The Institute for Game Biology and Hunting Management of the
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Science Department
for Integrated Biology (BOKU) in Vienna was commissioned to carry
out an ecological dietary study of the influence of the Marsh
Harrier on small game (e.g. hare and partridge).
http://www.proact-campaigns.net/ppsi/marsh_harrier_austria.html
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Follow-up to the above item: June 9th, 2005
Cancellation of Ecological Dietary Study of the Marsh Harrier
Misleading and confused media statements have led to the false
project being falsely represented both nationally and
internationally. This development has distressed me personally a
great deal as the project was only intended to be a fundamental
contribution to biology and the protection of this species. In order
to prevent the reputation of the BOKU being damaged undeservedly, as
well as my that of my institute and my colleagues, I herewith
declare the abandonment of my planned ecological dietary study of
the Marsh Harrier in Lower Austria.
Klaus Hackländer
Director IWJ (Institut für Wildbiologie und Jagdwirtschaft)
© Canadian Peregrine Foundation