Whose Side Is the Ministry of Environment On? Animals or Hunters?

A working group has been created at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine to develop the “Strategy for the Development of Hunting Management and Hunting in Ukraine until 2030.”

The draft document envisions opening hunting during wartime, funding hunting enterprises from the state budget, introducing hunting courses in secondary schools, and comprehensive development of trophy hunting.

According to sociological research, over 70% of Ukraine’s population supports a ban on hunting, while hunters make up less than 1% of the population. These are mainly wealthy people seeking bloody entertainment.

Due to hunting, bison, moose, bears, lynx, black grouse, capercaillie, marmots, and other formerly hunted species have virtually disappeared from Ukraine (they are now listed in the Red Book of Ukraine). Hunters are also causing sharp declines in populations of wild ducks, hares, wild pigeons, and other game animals.

Hunting poses a threat to human safety. Every year in Ukraine, more than 20 people are killed or injured due to hunting.

Hunting should not be encouraged but gradually phased out. It is the same kind of barbaric medieval tradition as the right of the first night or witch burning.

Many countries ban hunting: Brazil (since 1967), India (since 1972), Kenya (trophy hunting since 1977), Costa Rica (since 2012), Colombia (complete ban since 2019). The UK decided in 2023 to ban the import of hunting trophies.

Surveys confirm that 75% to 96% of respondents in the EU oppose trophy hunting.

Instead of developing a “Hunting Development Strategy,” the Ministry of Environment would be better off developing a “Biodiversity Conservation Concept” aimed at protecting flora and fauna species.