# France wildlife management controversy

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/france-wildlife-management-controversy
> Updated: 2026-07-30T14:22:29.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 3.

In July 2026 the French government drafted a revision of the 1986 hunting decree that would allow battue hunting of chamois, isard and mouflon, including a quota of up to 330 chamois in the Doubs department from September 2026 to January 2027. Conservation group Aspas denounced the plan as an ecological and ethical affront and called for an end to recreational chamois hunting and the summer red‑deer cull.

A report from the Cher department later showed a 47 % rise in wild‑boar damage to crops, with 487 incidents recorded by June 30 2026, half of the department’s annual agricultural compensation linked to maize losses. State‑run control actions continue despite heat‑wave constraints.

By the end of July, wildlife‑protection organisations expanded their criticism, launching petitions that gathered around 300 000 signatures demanding a suspension of hunting in areas hit by recent forest fires. The LPO and the ministry of ecological transition urged a pause in the hunting season until habitats recover. Regional bird‑conservation groups also asked prefects to postpone the water‑fowl hunting season, citing drought‑driven wetland drying and the vulnerability of water birds.

These developments illustrate escalating tensions in France over wildlife management, hunting policy, and the balance between agricultural protection and biodiversity conservation.

## Timeline

### 2026-07-30: French wildlife groups demand hunting bans in fire‑hit and drought zones

French wildlife groups petition for hunting bans in fire‑damaged forests and urge postponement of water‑fowl hunting in drought‑hit Normandy, citing animal welfare and legal authority for suspensions.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/french-wildlife-groups-demand-hunting-bans-in-firehit-and-drought-zones

### 2026-07-16: France confronts surge in wild boar damage and disputed chamois cull

France reports a 47% rise in wild boar crop damage in Cher, while wildlife group Aspas opposes a planned cull of 330 chamois and calls for halting leisure hunting in Doubs.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/france-confronts-surge-in-wild-boar-damage-and-disputed-chamois-cull

### 2026-07-12: Doubs chamois hunting quota fuels wildlife and ethical debate

France proposes loosening mountain‑hunt rules while Doubs plans to kill up to 330 chamois, prompting wildlife groups to demand a ban on recreational hunting.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/doubs-chamois-hunting-quota-fuels-wildlife-and-ethical-debate

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Cite as: France wildlife management controversy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/france-wildlife-management-controversy