Dutch gov't to allow hunters to kill 23 invasive species without provincial order

The Dutch government wants to allow hunters to shoot and kill certain animals that do not belong in the Netherlands without an order from the province. Minister Jamie van Essen (Nature, D66) has published new rules on this, which he intends to implement on January 1. The list of 23 invasive exotic species includes the Egyptian goose, the raccoon, and the grey squirrel.

These invasive exotic species originate outside Europe. Here, they displace other species and thereby harm the biodiversity.

The native red squirrel, for example, suffers greatly from the arrival of the grey squirrel, which originates in America. Egyptian geese can graze pastures to destruction and pollute the land with their droppings.

The goal of the new rules is primarily to remove administrative red tape, a spokesperson for the Minister explained. “It does not mean that more animals may be shot.”

Hunters must still declare how many animals they shoot. And provinces can still instruct nature managers to hunt specifically for a particular species.