Badger hunting suspended in several French departments

Courts in several parts of France have suspended measures allowing badger hunting this summer, with judges saying that local authorities have not provided enough evidence to justify killing the animals. 

In Finistère, the Rennes Administrative Court suspended 14 orders allowing administrative hunts and hunting along badger trails until the end of 2026.

The decision late last month followed a legal challenge by wildlife groups ASPAS, AVES France, and One Voice, and comes after courts in a number of other departments including Ille-et-Vilaine, Morbihan, Orne, Eure-et-Loir, Aisne and Indre-et-Loire brought in similar measures.  

The Rennes court said the hunting order could have “significant consequences” for the badger population because there was not enough information about how many animals live in Finistère.

It also said the prefect had not presented enough evidence that proved the badger population was causing an agricultural, forestry or hunting imbalance serious enough to require hunting. 

17 reports of damage

“The prefect of Finistère argues that the measures are justified, in particular, by the damage caused by badgers to crops, dykes, and railway infrastructure,” the Rennes Administrative Court said in its ruling. 

But the judge said the evidence consisted of a table listing just 17 reports of damage, all made after the hunting orders had already been signed.

The court also said that 96 badgers had already been culled before the orders were signed, but that the evidence presented was not enough to show that badgers were currently causing risks serious enough to justify keeping the measures in place.

For that reason, the 14 orders were suspended. 

Similar decisions elsewhere

The Finistère ruling is among several other court decisions this summer.

In Ille-et-Vilaine, the Rennes Administrative Court suspended an additional period of underground badger hunting, known as vénerie sous terre, on July 9. The practice involves using dogs to corner an animal in its burrow before digging it out and capturing it. The judge said there was not enough reliable information about the local badger population or enough evidence of damage caused by the animals.

In Morbihan, the same court suspended additional underground hunting on August 6.

Courts in Orne, Eure-et-Loir and Aisne have also suspended additional badger hunting measures this summer. In Indre-et-Loire, the court suspended a three-year hunting plan that allowed up to 700 badgers to be killed each year. 

Hunting restrictions after wildfires

The blocks on badger hunts come as some areas of France are also introducing restrictions on hunting following this summer's wildfires.

In the Var, officials are preparing a ban on hunting in burned woodland from September 13 for the 2026-2027 hunting season. 

The proposed ban covers seven communes affected by fires.

Wild boar hunting will be allowed to continue, however, as the prefecture said the animals are causing significant crop damage, especially around vineyards. 

If there are any nationwide changes to the hunting season, they will be announced by the government on its official website.