Ban Hunting of Marmots in the French Alps: A Call from Economic, Sporting, and Tourist Players

(TIMO NIEDERMANN. PEXELS)

To the attention of Mr. Christophe Béchu, Minister of Ecological Transition

Minister,
Hereby, we, economic, sporting and tourist players in the Alps, local elected officials in mountain areas, entrepreneurs using the image of the marmot for our communication, local environmental protection associations, ask you to definitively ban and quickly groundhog hunting.

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Minister, marmots are the pride of our mountain regions. Appreciated by tourists and hikers, these small mammals are a real economic asset for our territories. However, their populations have been in continuous decline since the 1990s, mainly due to global warming. The scientific council of the Vanoise park and numerous researchers are clearly sounding the alarm about the catastrophic impacts of global warming on the future of marmots in the French Alps.

Therefore, how can we justify the fact that in 2023 hundreds of marmots are still being hunted in France? This practice is archaic and unpopular. Marmot hunting is a purely recreational leisure activity which cannot in any case be justified for reasons of regulation or the fight against damage to crops. On the contrary, the marmot plays an important ecological role: grazing increases local plant biodiversity and its burrowing activity contributes to aeration, drainage and soil fertility.

While this little rodent has significant sympathy capital, generates significant economic benefits for us, stakeholders in the territory, and at a time when its population is declining, it is the responsibility and duty of public authorities to strengthen its protection.

The French, your voters, our customers, do not understand that we can today continue to kill an emblematic and threatened animal for the simple pleasure of hunting. Today, 69% believe that this practice should be banned (YouGov/AJAS 2022 survey) and more than 75,000 have already signed a petition calling for a ban on marmot hunting.

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Our Italian neighbors banned it in 1992. In Cantal, Pyrénées-Orientales, Drôme, Haute-Garonne, Haute-Loire and Puy-de-Dôme, this practice has no longer been authorized since 2012. less. The marmot is protected by Appendix III of the Berne Convention, which France ratified in 1990. The first measure to take to protect the marmot is therefore obvious: definitively ban its hunting throughout French territory.

Minister, we want our children, like us, to have the opportunity to come across live marmots in our mountains. We ask you, Minister, to leave the marmots alone and to remove the marmot from the list of huntable species as quickly as possible.

Pending your feedback, please accept, Mr. Minister, our republican greetings

List of signatories:

Rémi MASSON, diver and photographer from Savoie
Yves PACCALET, philosopher, writer, naturalist
Eric TASSET, Grenoble writer
Aurélie BECHET, author of Édèle the marmot who could not whistle
Mathias SPADILIERO, nature photographer
Clémentine GEOFFRAY, 2023 trail world champion
Simon GOSSELIN, high-level trainer and trail runner
Pierre-Arnaud BOURGUENOLLE, high-level trainer and trail runner
Delphine CLAUDEL, member of the French cross-country ski team
Baptiste GROS, former member of the French cross-country ski team, cross-country ski instructor and coach
Patrick PONSON, President of the St Genix d’Aoste Ski Club (38)
Franck PITULA, President of the Modane-Thabor French Alpine Club (73)
Claire HUBER, Manager of Montailloux-Salève Randos (74)
Lucile PRIN-ZANET, Mountain guide
Sylvie GIRY, cross-country ski instructor, La Féclaz
Marine LEPETIT Manager of the Envers des Aiguilles Refuge
Jean-Paul HENNION, Manager of the Lac de la Grande Léchère Refuge
Jérôme CAVIGLIA, Director Atemia (tourism engineering), la Féclaz (73)
The Zéro G team, bike shop, Chamonix (74)
Catherine and Jean-Michel BERTINOTTI, Owners of tourist rentals Chalet Solely, la Féclaz (73)
Pierre GUEDON and Alexis BOEUF, Biathlon Experience Managers, La Féclaz (73)
Gersende VELLUT, Nordic Attitude, rental, sale and Nordic ski school, La Féclaz (73)
Camille & Renaud, Managers of the La Marmotte Gourmande bakery (73)
Virginie BONNAY and Yoann HUBERT, Boutique Les Savoyards (73)
Mylène FRACHISSE, Manager of the Le Gourmet Savoyard boutique (73)
The La Ronde du bio team, Faverges (74)
Célia PINSON, Manager of Au Nid Nature, Samoëns (74)
Stéphanie BAECILE and Patrick REMY, O’givress restaurant managers, La Féclaz (73)
Rémi VERGNAUD, Fileo Group Manager (74)
Aude and Philippe RICHON, Restaurant Managers Le Baille à Berre, La Féclaz (73)
Anaïs SILVERSTRINI, Manager, Auberge d+ restaurant in Valloire (73)
Yannick VALLENCANT, President of the Interprofessional Mountain Union -CFDT
Christine COUVERT, President Réflexion Avenir Aussois (73)
Annie COLLOMBET and Martine NORAZ, co-presidents of the association Living and Acting in Maurienne (73)
Mireille LATTIER, Director of Tichodrome, Wildlife Conservation Center (38)
Pauline DI NICOLANTONIO, President of the Savoie Animal Justice Association
Jocelyn DIEUDONNE, GNSA Grand Chambéry Representative
Christophe LEBRUN, President Friends of the Earth Savoie
Marie-Paule DE THIERSANT, President of the LPO Auvergne Rhône-Alpes
Jean-François COULOMME, Member of Parliament for Savoie (73)
Alexis JOLLY, Member of Parliament for Isère (38)
Guillaume GONTARD, Senator of Isère (38)
Jean-Pierre BEGUIN, Regional Advisor, Savoie
Claudie TERNOY-LEGER, EELV regional councilor, Savoie and Albertville municipal councilor (73)
Benjamin JOYEUX, Regional Advisor, Haute-Savoie (74)
Alexandra CARON-CUSEY, AURA Regional Advisor (73)
Josée SERASSET-KREMPP, Municipal Councilor Sallanches (74)
Patrick BROIN, Municipal Councilor, Sallanches (74)
Franck Haugou, Municipal Councilor, Bellecombe en Bauges (73)
Marie DUTRUEL, Mayor of Saint-Paul-en-Chablais (74)
Jérôme BUISSON, Mayor of Notre-Dame-de-Mésage (38)
Jean-Luc VERRIER, Mayor of Prunières (05)
Jean François POITOU, Mayor of La Thuile (73)
Hervé FERROUD-PLATTET, Mayor of School in Bauges (73)
Estelle ARNAUD, Mayor of Puy-Saint-André (05)
Dominique LAUDRE, Mayor of Vars (05)
Christian GILARDEAU-TRUFFINET, Mayor of Veynes (05)
Catherine BOUVIER, Mayor of Leschaux (74)
Gilbert DUPONT, Maire de Livet-et-Gavet (38)
Balthazar, XR Mont Blanc referent
Hélène SCHEMITICK, manager Health’Eat Albertville (73)
Christine CROIZIER, photographer, Bourg Saint Maurice (73)
Yves DELAVEST, artisan watchmaker, Bourg Saint Maurice (73)
Jean-Pierre MARQUES, manager Opaline ready to wear, Bourg Saint Maurice (73)
Jacques FILLIETROZ, manager El Dorado Ranch Equestrian Tourism Center, Bourg Saint Maurice (73)
Frédéric ROCHER, manager Entre Ciel et Terre, Bourg Saint Maurice (73)
Mr. FILLIETROZ, manager Chaussures Veuillet Bourg Saint Maurice (73)
Jean-Noël JADOT, President of Rand’Onnion (74)

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