Fed: RSPCA campaigns for ban on duck hunting

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2000
Fed: RSPCA campaigns for ban on duck hunting

Eds: Takes in Ducks Vic

CANBERRA, Feb 15 AAP - The annual recreational duck shoot in Australia amounted to
no more than killing for fun, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(RSPCA) said today.

The group today launched a national public awareness campaign entitled "Duck Shooting
- Kill the Sport", which seeks to ban the sport.

Between 594,000 and 900,000 ducks were crippled or wounded annually in the name of
sport, RSPCA national president Hugh Wirth said.

"This annual mayhem amounts to no more than killing for fun and has no other purpose,"

he said in a statement.

Dr Wirth said duck shooting was cruel because the way shotguns operated made it impossible
to ensure a duck was killed outright, even by a skilled marksman.

Ducks could sustain horrific injuries from the broad spattering of pellets and legs
and wings could be left dangling and bills smashed.

Eyes could be shot from sockets or left bulging and full of blood by a pellet blow to the head.

Internal injuries were less obvious but more insidious, with birds sometimes dying
days or weeks later after suffering prolonged pain.

"Claims that duck hunting controls the duck population cannot be sustained because
duck populations are mainly determined by water levels, with wet winters leading to high
breeding rates and dry winters leading to low breeding rates," Dr Wirth said.

A resultant problem from duck hunting was lead poisoning found in waterbirds which
came from birds eating lead shot still used in duck hunting in some states.

The RSPCA said duck hunting was banned in Western Australia, the ACT and New South Wales.

AAP dep/rsm

KEYWORD: DUCKS

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