Sardinia wildlife hunting legal disputes

The Regional Administrative Court (T.A.R.) of Sardinia has intervened regarding the 2025-2027 regional hunting calendar. Following a legal challenge by the environmental association Gruppo d’Intervento Giuridico (GrIG), supported by LAC and LIPU – BirdLife Italia, the court initially issued a partial suspension of hunting for the Sardinian partridge, the Sardinian hare, and the wild rabbit for September 20 and 27, 2026.

The court’s initial decree warned of potential “grave and irreparable damage” and the “irreversible slaughter of wildlife,” citing the region's failure to provide necessary census data to the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA).

By September 30, 2026, the court upheld the suspension of hunting for these specific species. The ruling emphasized that while the Autonomous Region of Sardinia has the authority to deviate from technical-scientific advice, it must provide adequate motivation. The court found the region failed to provide sufficient wildlife monitoring data to justify its departure from ISPRA's recommendations. As a result, the suspension remains in place for the specified dates, leaving October 4, 2026, as a permitted hunting day.