Portugal’s League for the Protection of Nature (LPN) today announced that it has been asked to assist in criminal proceedings related to the poisoning of an Iberian lynx in March and called for the end of the illegal use of poisons.
"Faced with repeated cases of poisoning resulting in the death of protected and endangered species, the LPN calls for firm action from the public and from the government in the fight against the illegal use of poisons," read today’s statement.
The LPN recalls that for too many years, cases of illegal or negligent use of poisons have resulted in many fatalities of endangered species protected by law.
"Invariably, these situations are repeated without finding out who is responsible, perpetuating impunity and the lack of effective solutions to combat this threat to the conservation of nature," commented the LPN.
The use of poison to kill wild and domestic animals "is illegal," says the LPN, and represents "a serious threat" both to public health and to biodiversity.
After the death of several protected animals such as eagles, vultures and the female Iberian lynx which was poisoned in March this year, the LPN agreed to assist in criminal proceedings in the case of the lynx and to "cooperate with the prosecution in the investigation."
The organisation advocates "more and better action" in cases associated with the illegal use of poison, as well as greater involvement and coordination between the different bodies involved.
The female Iberian lynx, Kayakweru, was released into the wild in February but was found dead in mid-March in Mértola.
The results of an autopsy undertaken at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon revealed that the animal ingested poison and died as a result.
Comments
Hi. Ed - Have spoken to the person who lost the first 2 dog's , they will be in touch with you, if the President of the Cãmara fails to keep his to do something.
But frankly the GNR should be all over this
Except these 2 where the pets off local families !
Will now , the GNR & Câmara get there act together & do something about it ?
Her 2 beloved Dogs had died very painful death after picking up poisoned "bait" ,which was spread by one off the local hunters, this is because the area is over run by abandoned hunting dogs, which the hunters have dumped because they don't work well !
The GNR & President of the local Cãmara showed very little interest when she tried to get some action over this tragic event
All the locals in the area know who was responsible but have all gone "deaf & dumb."
Across all aspects of Portuguese life; constant crimes; crimes against the person; against property, and against the state - the tax evasion, money laundering, abuse of power, amongst the worst countries in the world for corruption and yet again some 'upright' Portugueser tells us -
... without finding out who is responsible, perpetuating impunity and the lack of effective solutions ....
but as always these words take us nowhere.
The recent corruption reports also emphasise why ex-PM Socrates feels so hard done by. All the Government figures and senior and influential public and private sector 'players' in the last 30 years will have been on the take.
Some more than others and some more obviously than others. We must assume Socrates main offence was 2 fold. Being more obviously on the take and because the recordings of the Freeport planning meeting discussing bungs to a 'Pinocchio' - never ID'd by investigators - stripped the veil from what is routine business practice here.