Illegal poisoning threatens many rare and protected species of birds and mammals, while also endangering the public and their pets.
The initial data from the LIFE EUROKITE project (LIFE18 NAT/AT/000048), focused on the cross-border protection of the Red kite (Milvus milvus) species in Europe by reducing human-induced mortality, indicate that poisoning is by far the leading cause of human-induced mortality for this species.
In October 2024, the initiators of this project, alongside numerous European wildlife protection and conservation organisations, launched a petition urging members of the European Parliament to find cross-border solutions at the EU level to address the issue of poisoning affecting migratory species.
The petition’s initiators propose:
- Supporting the “European day against criminal poisoning of wildlife” on 1st March to raise awareness among the general public and policymakers, as the issue is underestimated and poorly known.
- Systematically collecting data across Europe to create a database of poisoning cases and identify “hotspots”. Ideally, this database should be managed by the European Union or one of its organisations.
- Strengthening and vigorously continuing the 2020–2030 Rome Strategic Plan (Eradicating Illegal Killing, Taking and Trade in Wild Birds in Europe and the Mediterranean region).
So far, the petition has been signed by 3,500 individuals and organisations. You too can sign it by following this link.
