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Bern Convention: Carinthian hunt for otter is on the brink!
Carinthia is the focus of criticism about the otter regulation. Animal welfare associations require a ban on fatal falling and better species protection.
Bern Convention: Carinthian hunt for otter is on the brink!
In an urgent appeal, a committee of the Bern Convention sharply criticized the Carinthian Cotter Ordinance. On May 30, 2025, an official letter was sent to the Austrian authorities, in which an immediate ban on the deadly conibear traps that are used by hobby hunters was required. This poses the goal of sustainably strengthening the protection status of the already strictly protected otter (Lutra Lutra). The Bernese convention has been committed to the preservation of the European wildlife and their habitats since 1979, which include around 51 states, as is explained on the Federal Office for Nature Conservation.
The starting point for the current discussion was a complaint from animal welfare Austria from 2022, which was directed against the systematic killing of fillers in Carinthia. According to Wildbeimwild.com, Austria threatens a contractual violation procedure, should it not be possible to show ecologically and legally justifiable alternatives to kill the otter. This would be a difficult setback for species protection in the Alpine region.
ecological concerns and alternatives
The Presidium of the Bern Convention particularly emphasized the unfavorable state of preservation of the otter in Carinthia. Experts warn that the killing of these animals could endanger the survival of the species. Therefore, a year-round ban on the conibear traps and other non-selective hunting methods is required. Instead, alternative solutions such as scarring and the protection of waters should first be considered. Michaela Lehner from animal protection Austria emphasizes how important species protection is in this region.
The Burgenland offers a positive example, where otterants are dispensed with. Animal protection Austria supports this procedure and also calls for Carinthia to end the troubles' persecution. Leona Fux, Biologist at Tierschutz Austria, has publicly spoken out for a rethink and calls up to support a petition against vertical hunt.
Bern Convention and their importance
The Bern Convention is considered a central legal framework for the preservation of European wild animals. It comprises three attachments that list endangered species, with the otter listed as strictly protected animal species in Appendix II. Building on this, a set of rules was published on February 10, 1982, which is available in many languages to guarantee the protection of wild animals and their habitats. The convention ensures that species like the otter cannot be disturbed, caught or killed.
Given the urgency of the topic, it is time that Austria takes the demands seriously and actively campaigns for the protection of otters. If measures are not taken soon, the consequences could have far -reaching consequences for this protected type and interaction in our ecosystems.