He trapped protected birds with glue, the poacher fell into the net of the environmental police

Agents from the French Biodiversity Office (OFD) discovered three goldfinches while searching the home of a resident of Mathay (Doubs). The poacher captured these protected birds, which can be sold for several hundred euros, with stems coated with glue.

Agents from the French Biodiversity Office (OFB) unmasked a poacher who was capturing goldfinches using glued stems. Three of these protected birds were discovered in the home of this resident of Mathay (Doubs) during a search carried out on Thursday November 7, 2024 by the environmental police.

It was hunters who first alerted the volunteers of the Bird Protection League (LP0) of the Pays de Montbéliard. “We were contacted the first time by hunters who had observed poaching, then we had a second alertreports Georges Lignier, the head of the local group of the association, to France 3 Franche-Comté. This time, we notified the OFB and the poacher was quickly identified.”

The man should be the subject of prosecution, indicated to the Est Républicain. The birds, however, were not seized. “They were treated very wellassures the representative of the prosecution to the regional daily. For this reason, they were left behind but are now under the control of justice. That is to say, we can enter them at any time.”

Poaching which no longer surprises nature defenders, who are awaiting a strong response from the justice system.

This is no surprise to us. Today there is a market and real traffic with organized networks. And the poaching of common birds is no longer reserved for the south of France. A sector was dismantled a few years ago in Besançon. There have been three proven cases on the Brognard plateau.

Georges Lignier, LPO Pays de Montbéliard.

The European goldfinch (carduelis carduelis) is a particularly endangered species and therefore protected : the number of individuals has in fact fallen by 50% in ten years in France. These birds are victims of real organized trafficking. “It brings in more money than pot dealers on the corners of the blocks”deplores Georges Lignier.

The goldfinch is considered a good luck charm in North Africa and it is also very popular in the north of France where it has long been used in mines to protect against firedamp blasts. With multi-colored plumage and a very beautiful song, it can sometimes cost up to 3 000 euros.

Under French environmental law, the capture, detention, transport and marketing of specimens of protected species such as the goldfinch are prohibited and constitute crimes. The man now faces a three-year prison sentence and a fine of up to 150,000 euros.