Montpellier: The city bans hunting on municipal land
A hunting rifle (illustration) – ALLILI MOURAD / SIPA
Montpellier began at the end of the year the termination of the agreements that made public land available, to allow associations to hunt.
A way to allow inhabitants to reclaim natural spaces.
For its part, the Federation of Hunters of Hérault regrets the lack of consultation on this decision and fears that wild boars proliferate in the corner.
The city of Montpellier (Hérault) no longer wants rifle on her land: she wishes to prohibit
hunt s in municipal territories. At the end of the year, its services began terminating the agreements which made public land available, to allow associations to hunt. A first decision was signed for Grammont, others will follow, in particular for Cambacérès.
Because yes, if it may seem surprising in such an urban area, we hunt in Montpellier. Requested by 11 Minutes , the Hérault services of the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB), ex-Office National Hunting and Wildlife Nationals, indicate that it was still recurrent to meet hunters at certain sites in Montpellier, in particular at Mas Prunet, in the area of rue des Grèzes, in Celleneuve, or in Grammont.
“Many no longer dare to walk”
In addition to the cruelty of game hunting according to animal advocates, to justify his project, Eddine Ariztegui (Animalist Party), deputy mayor of Montpellier delegate for animal welfare, evokes “the protection of the inhabitants”. “To give people from Montpellier the possibility of reclaiming natural spaces , he says. Many no longer dare to walk or ride a bicycle for fear of being shot. “” We are in an urban environment, indicates the mayor, Michaël Delafosse (PS). It is a choice for the safety of inhabitants, walkers, as well as respect for animals. “
Last July, the OFB indicated that the total number of hunting accidents over the season 1999 – 2020 was from 141, whose 20 fatal. A record slightly higher than the previous season, which had known 131, just like that of fatal accidents (7 the previous season). Overall, 71% of accident victims are however hunters, according to the state body, which however emphasizes that the longer-term trend is downward, with a fall of 71% of the number of fatal accidents compared at 1999. The OFB (in particular) points to uncontrolled firing of hunters in the direction of homes and roads open to traffic.
“We could have made proposals that could have satisfied everyone”
“It is also a question of responding to the population which is tired of hearing rifle fire, notes Eddine Ariztegui. I know a person who lives in Montpellier and who was shot in his living room. But there will always be the possibility of hunting on private plots, made available by individuals, for example. There are a few in Montpellier, says Eddine Ariztegui.
For his part, Jean-Pierre Gaillard, the president of the Federation of Hunters of Hérault, regrets that this decision was taken without any consultation. “We discovered this in the press,” he says. With Philippe Saurel (various left) [l’ancien maire de Montpellier], we worked well together at the end of his mandate. We were studying the nuisances on both sides. We have been surprised. “In the first area where hunting is prohibited, in Grammont, hunters were only present” two days a year, notes Jean-Pierre Gaillard. We could very well have reached an agreement, so that two days a year, there would be hunting, and the 310 on other days people can walk. “
The fear of the proliferation of wild boars
Jean-Pierre Gaillard warns the municipality: preventing hunters from carrying out regulatory operations risks causing a proliferation of nuisances , in some months. “Wild boars pass through Juvignac, Castelnau-le-Lez, the district of Paillade or Aiguelongue,” he confides. The Federation of Hunters of the Hérault has invested in trap cages. We caught some 141 In two years. If we had not taken them back, there would be 1. wild boars in the city of Montpellier! »Who would destroy agricultural areas or gardens.
Carrying out the project to ban hunting on municipal land earned Eddine Ariztegui the target of insults in recent days on social networks. The legal department of the town hall is studying the answers to be provided. In a press release, Eddine Ariztegui’s party supports him: “These attacks further strengthen the determination of the Animalist Party and its members to protect animals. “
