The Flora and Fauna Department of the Ministry of Agricultural Development of the province of Buenos Aires announced, through Disposition No. 60-GDEBA-DFYFMDAGP, the opening of the commercial hunting season for European hare (Lepus europaeus) for the year 2025.
The regulation, published in the Official Gazette, establishes that the activity can take place between June 7 and August 5, with a maximum authorized quota of 750,000 specimens. Once that number is reached, the activity will be automatically suspended.
Legal context and species characteristics
The European hare is an invasive exotic species, introduced in the country, and classified as eligible for commercial hunting according to Decree No. 279/18, due to its negative impact on native ecosystems and agricultural crops.
Hunting for profit is regulated by Law No. 15,477, Decree Law No. 10,081/83, and complementary provisions.
Criticisms and environmental concerns regarding the European hare hunting
Various organizations and specialists have expressed objections to the measure:
- Environmental impact: although invasive, massive hunting can alter the ecosystem and affect native species.
- Animal welfare: the methods of hunting employed are questioned for causing unnecessary suffering.
- Deficient regulation: warnings about scarce oversight, which can lead to overexploitation and disorder.
- Poaching and illegal market: unauthorized practices and uncontrolled commercialization have been reported.
- Economic interests: criticism that the measure favors lucrative interests without addressing sustainability criteria or animal welfare.
Conflicts with the agricultural sector
The population expansion of hares has generated conflicts with producers, who report damage to crops.
However, many demand greater state control over hunting, and alternatives that do not involve negative collateral impacts.
Alternative proposals and sustainable solutions
Among the alternatives suggested by specialists and NGOs, the following stand out:
- Stricter regulation: establish clear limits on authorized areas, methods, and capture volumes.
- Enhanced controls: combat poaching and illegal trafficking.
- Education and awareness: promote knowledge about wildlife balance and conservation.
- Scientific research: study the ecological impact of hunting to define evidence-based public policies.
Between the control of invasive species and the environmental debate
The opening of the commercial hunting of European hare in Buenos Aires brings back to the forefront the tension between controlling invasive species, economic interests, and environmental protection.
The need for balanced regulation, with effective oversight and an ecosystem-based approach, is key to preserving biodiversity and preventing this measure from becoming a new focus of environmental conflict.
Entre Ríos: NGOs demand the unconstitutionality of the Law on hunting native birds
The issue of hunting is not exclusive to the province of Buenos Aires, as in the case of Entre Ríos, six socio-environmental organizations have filed a legal action requesting the unconstitutionality of Provincial Hunting Law No. 4,841, which allows the killing of native wildlife.
In addition to demanding a review of the annual hunting regulatory framework, the request specifically targets article 7, which authorizes the participation of minors in the hunting activity.
This legal action is not the first against current regulations, as in 2022 and 2023, the Entre Ríos judiciary declared previous resolutions unconstitutional that allowed the killing of native birds.
