Hunters in Vinnytsia Oblast have been allowed to take part in hunting predators and wild boars. In bureaucratic terms, this is called "population control", and the decision itself is justified by the prevention of rabies and African swine fever. At the same time, opinions on social media are divided: some point to population growth, while others demand official counts to back this up and cite examples of humane methods of combating diseases.
This was reported by the "Suspilne" media outlet, citing a publication on the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Society of Hunters and Fishermen (USHF). This post is no longer available.
Such decisions can be made by oblast military administrations. Hunting ground users, veterinary services and government officials are to be involved in anti-epizootic measures to prevent the spread of dangerous diseases.
"This is an important step in ensuring the veterinary and sanitary safety of the region. After all, a timely response to the growing numbers of certain wild animal species, monitoring of the epizootic situation and proper organisation of preventive measures are a joint task of the authorities, veterinary services and hunting ground users," the local outlet "VINBAZAR" quotes the USHF announcement, which is no longer available.
Opinions are traditionally divided
We cannot analyse users' reactions under the USHF post, but this news sparked a heated discussion in local media.
Hunters and supporters of killing animals are openly pleased with the decision in the comments to the post by "Novyny Vinnytsi za 20 khv" (Vinnytsia News in 20 Minutes). For example, user Andrii Abin wishes everyone good shots, while Serhii Ivchuk asks a "practical" question: when and where.
Some users also side with the deadly "prevention". Vita Volodymyrivna writes that "the population is bursting at the seams", while Lilia Yakovenko says that there are many wolves in Vinnytsia Oblast and "rabies is spreading".
However, people are also asking critical questions: where are the official calculations of the predator population, and has humane prevention of epizootic diseases been carried out?
"What nonsense. Who carried out rabies prevention? What are you talking about? Who counted the wolves or boars? The wolf itself is the sanitary worker of the forest. Proven by nature and scientists. There is Yellowstone. It is a real example," writes Volodymyr Voloszjuk.
Many commenters point out that Ukraine's wildlife has suffered catastrophic losses because of the war.
"Everyone who gives permission to shoot animals, and those who shoot them, are helping the enemy destroy Ukraine's nature," Liuda Novosad stated categorically.
At the same time, people insist that civilised methods of disease prevention without killing animals have existed for a long time.
"In the war, soldiers rescue wild and domestic animals. Volunteers evacuate them from hot spots at the cost of their lives! And you run around fields and forests with scopes and kill the last of what is still there," wrote user Taisiia Kravets.
EcoPolitic previously reported that regulated hunting had been allowed in Chernihiv Oblast. There, too, the authorities cited "public safety".
Before that, bird hunting was allowed in Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, Khmelnytskyi and Zakarpattia Oblasts. Later, hunting was allowed in Poltava and Odesa Oblasts. This caused outrage among the public and experts. More details are available in a separate article.
