Leading animal charities across Australia have united to call for this year’s duck hunting season to be the last.
RSPCA Victoria, Wildlife Victoria, Animals Australia, and Birdlife Australia said the charities have continuing concerns around animal welfare, sustainability and data identifying two out of three Victorians are in favour of a ban.
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The future of duck hunting in Victoria is currently under review, with hearings underway for the Government’s Inquiry into Victoria’s recreational native bird hunting arrangements.
RSPCA Victoria CEO, Dr Liz Walker, said she is relieved the 2023 season ends today and feels Victoria is on the cusp of positive change.
“Put simply, the RSPCA is opposed to the recreational hunting of ducks due to the inevitable pain and suffering caused to waterbirds. There is also much data to suggest it is unsustainable and has significant impacts on other species including threatened species,” said Dr Liz Walker.
“Data shows that at least two out of three Victorians support an end to duck hunting. With the Inquiry underway, now is an historic opportunity for the Government to take action to ban duck hunting and bring Victoria in line with NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and the ACT.”
In the joint statement, CEO of Wildlife Victoria Lisa Palmer said the organisation first-hand saw the consequences of this year’s season.
“Wildlife Victoria was in field near Donald for the first five days of duck hunting season. Across those five days Wildlife Victoria’s veterinary team received and assessed 73 native waterbirds including eight threatened species that are illegal to shoot,” she said.
“Of the 22 waterbirds that presented alive to the veterinary team, all needed to be euthanised given the severity of their injuries and on welfare grounds. The majority of the 73 waterbirds assessed had gunshot pellets in their bodies on x-ray and gunshot wounding was the cause of death.
“This is just a tiny snapshot of the death and injury that was inflicted on our native waterbirds across the state’s wetlands for the last six weeks.”