France extends hunting ban on vulnerable turtle doves

France is extending a ban on hunting endangered turtle doves until the middle of next year, according to a Ministry of the Environment order published on Friday. Hunting turtle doves was banned in France in 2021 for the first time, ending a system allowing a fixed number of birds to be shot.

Spain and France play a decisive role in the protection of the species. Spain is home to more than half of the European breeding population, France to about 10%.

A year and a half ago, the European Commission accused both countries of failing to respect EU law on bird protection and threatened to begin legal action. Between 1996 and 2016, the turtle dove population in Spain and France declined by about 40%.

The European turtle dove is listed as a "vulnerable" species worldwide by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Agriculture and hunting in the Mediterranean are seen as the cause for population decline.