Shots at the harbor: Middle of seawers in Wismar in danger! Animal rights activist alarmed

Shots at the harbor: Middle of seawers in Wismar in danger! Animal rights activist alarmed

Wismar, Deutschland - The discussion about the security and protection of the seagulls at the port of Wismar is heading. With the ongoing use of salut shots to expire cruise ships, animal rights activists are prompted to register loud protests. The citizens recently experienced: inside Wismar a sad incident: dead seagulls were found and triggered an echo of outrage. Conservationists demand a ban on these shots during the breeding season of the seagulls, which ranges from early April to mid -July. But the citizens have decided that this will continue to be allowed. The [NDR] (https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vormern/tote-moewenken-tierschuetzer-kreuzfahriten-Salutschuesse ,moewenwismar-100.html) reports that the decision is exposed to a sharp criticism.

The situation is tightening, as several videos show how seagulls are startled through the loud shots and leave their chicks behind in the nests. This behavior is fatal for the young animals, who are often not yet strong enough to cope alone. The animal protection organization "Taskforce Species Protection" explains that the Salut shots are not compatible with the Federal Nature Conservation and Animal Welfare Act. Experts emphasize that violent bright noises inevitably trigger frightening reactions in animals. Nevertheless, the district of Northwest Mecklenburg sees no need for action and denies large disorders of birds. The Wismar shooting clubs argue that the animals are quickly returning and there is no connection between the shots and the dead chicks.

seagulls and their chicks - a look at Travemünde

A completely different picture shows a few kilometers further west in Travemünde, where the first seagulls have recently hatched. At the front series at the "Traveblick" restaurant you can watch the busy seagull parents who alternately defend their offspring. The excitement is noticeable there - the chicks leave the nests in the coming days, which will certainly lead to area disputes. Such happy news stands in stark contrast to the oppressive situation in Wismar and illustrate the challenges in front of which seagulls are in the region. According to the Travemünde Aktuell there are numerous nests in the area that are still observed.

legal framework and challenges

In the background of these debates, the Animal Welfare Act, which applies to all animals. This law defines animals as fellow creatures that can feel pain and suffering. According to § 1 sentence 2 of the Animal Welfare Act, it is forbidden to inflict animals from avoidable pain, suffering or damage for no reasonable reason. The Animal Welfare Association indicates that violations of the animal welfare regulations can be punished both according to the Animal Welfare Act and as property damage. The current situation in Wismar raises the question of whether the practice there actually does justice to the legal framework and whether effective protective measures for the affected animals are guaranteed.

Christof Herrmann, the head of the Hiddensee Bering Center, demands more urgent monitoring of birds during the shots in order to better assess the effects on the population. The nature conservation authority proposed to stimulate an observation for the upcoming brood season, which was rejected by the citizens, on the grounds that there were too many seagulls in Wismar than too few. In recent years, around 16,000 breeding pairs of seagulls have been registered in the northeast, while there were around 66,000 breeding pairs at peak times.

It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether the citizens will rethink their decision, while the protective voices from the population and animal welfare organizations are getting louder. The rich nature of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is at stake, and especially in times like this is responsible for dealing with fauna and flora.